Forever a Changeling
by Dakingace
Summary: My name is Rainbow Dash and today I learned something new. I learned I'm actually a changeling. You'd think that would be something you would already know. I just learned it now when I saw my true self for the first time. How did I come to replace the real Rainbow Dash, and when? And why can't I remember it?I got premshinen from Scootaloo-009 . My Little Pony belongs to Hasbro Inc.
1. Chapter 1

Forever a Changeling

by Scootaloo-009, a.k.a. Mechsrule1

My Little Pony and related names, images, and scenarios are property of Hasbro Inc.

Chapter 1

It was her favorite thing in the world. Her heart was beating rapidly. She was breathing heavily and loved it. The wind in her mane, the warm sun on her face, working her wings just right, it was just wonderful.

Rainbow Dash smiled broadly. She loved flying and she took every opportunity to stay in the air. Sometimes she had a destination, but today she was just flying for the sake of flying.

Below her stretched an endless field of apple trees. She spotted a tiny orange figure in amongst the foliage. She angled her wings accordingly and began swooping down towards her friend.

"Hey, Applejack," she greeted when she was close enough.

"Howdy, Rainbow," her farmer friend replied.

"How are things here today?"

"Alright. Say, Ah know we ain't scheduled for rain till the weekend but could yah drop a little on the southern field? It's really dry."

"Sure," Rainbow Dash agreed. She flew off and began gathering all the clouds nearby. There weren't that many nearby so it was a small collection. She moved it to where Applejack had moved to and gave it a good kick. The downpour lasted only a minute.

When it was over, Rainbow Dash flew down to Applejack.

"How was that?"

"Great, thanks."

"Any time."

"If yah ain't busy yah might want tah go see Fluttershy. She was fussin' about somethin' this mornin'"

"Good idea. I'll see you around," Rainbow Dash said, flying off.

"Hold up, bahfore yah go," Applejack called. She pulled an apple out of a nearby basket and tossed it to her friend.

"Thanks!"

"Fluttershy."

"So much to clean..."

"Fluttershy?"

"I've got to make sure all the animals are fed."

"Fluttershy?"

"And water the plants. Oh, there's just so much to do!"

"Fluttershy!"

The yellow pegasus dropped the watering can she was holding and looked around. "Oh, Rainbow Dash... I'm sorry, I didn't see you."

"What's got you so busy?"

"My parents are coming by for a visit," Fluttershy explained, retrieving the watering can.

"Why is that such a big deal?" Rainbow Dash asked. "You didn't tell them you're an item with somepony and now you have to come up with a convoluted plan to avoid admitting you lied but without telling that pony either, did you? Or they're actually former wonderbolts who hate the fact you live on the ground? Or maybe they just pick on you."

"What?"

"Come on, Fluttershy, if they're anything like they were back when we were in flight school, it'll be fine."

"I just don't want them to be disappointed. They weren't exactly excited when I told them I was living here."

"That's because you're so close to the Everfree Forest. Fluttershy, it'll be fine."

"I guess you're right," Fluttershy agreed. "What's that?"

Rainbow dash turned and saw two wisps of green smoke flying towards them. The two wisps condensed before them into two scrolls.

"Huh," Rainbow Dash said, picking one up. "It's from Twilight."

"She wants us all to meet by the town hall," Fluttershy read out loud.

"I wonder what this is all about."

"We probably shouldn't keep her waiting."

"Yeah. With the number of disasters we have here every other week it's probably something bad," Rainbow Dash stated.

Seven good friends were gathered in the center of Ponyville. It wasn't an unusual sight, they did hang out quite often. It was a partly cloudy day and Equestria seemed quite calm for a change.

Twilight Sparkle looked around and saw all her friends were present. "I see you got my messages."

"You said it was urgent. I hope I didn't take too long getting here," Fluttershy said.

"That was pretty neat, getting a letter from Spike," Rainbow Dash said.

"I thought you only sent things to Princess Celestia," Rarity added.

Spike, the only non-pony present smiled. "It's a new trick I learned. So far it's only worked with you girls. I tried sending messages to ponies I don't really know and it didn't work. It probably only works with my friends."

"Why don't you just ask somepony?" Pinkie Pie asked.

"There aren't any dragon experts I know of and no books either. That's why I'm writing everything we learn down so any ponies who come after can read about what we learned," Twilight said, putting a hoof over Spike.

"So what's this all about, Twah?" Applejack asked.

Twilight pulled out a scroll with her magic. "Princess Celestia is concerned some changelings might still be in the area, so she's having court mages go to all the towns and search them. Since I live here, she asked me to do it."

"But how do we check everypony?" Pinkie Pie asked.

"In the letter she described a spell that will knock out any nearby changelings and force them to drop their disguise. I'll cast it over Ponyville then we just have to look around. They should be out for a few hours so we have plenty of time to look all over," Twilight explained.

"What about everypony else?" Fluttershy asked.

"You might feel a slight tingle but it only harms changelings," Twilight replied.

"Alright, let's see some magic!" Rainbow Dash cheered.

Twilight nodded. At once her horn began glowing it's familiar magenta. The glow intensified. From the unicorn, a wave of similarly colored energy cascaded out. It bathed the whole town in light. The various ponies walking about stopped and stared at the display, confused.

A dull pain started in Rainbow Dash's head. As the spell continued it got worse and worse. She began rubbing her forehead with one hoof.

"Are yah okay, Sugarcube?" Applejack asked, noticing her distress.

"I-" Rainbow Dash said. Her mouth felt like it was full of cotton candy but without the taste. "Marhud" she groaned. Her vision swam then faded to black.

Rainbow Dash was awake but she didn't want to open her eyes. Her head hurt a bit and her entire body ached. She could hear distant voices but she couldn't make heads or tails of what they were saying. She hoped the pain in her head would go away if she just stayed quiet for a while and light seemed to make it worse, but it didn't abate at all.

Finally she got bored and opened her eyes. The first thing she noticed was she was vertical, somehow being held to a wall. She looked around and saw she was in a featureless room with her friends. The only thing in the room besides them was a table. There was one chair that Twilight was currently sitting in, facing away from her.

Fluttershy was off in one corner sobbing while Rarity tried to comfort her. Pinkie Pie was staring at Rainbow Dash but she couldn't read what the earth pony was feeling. Applejack was looking at her too but the anger was obvious. Twilight was reading a book like she almost always was. Applejack nudged Twilight and pointed. Twilight saw Rainbow Dash was awake and slammed the book shut.

"Uh.. what's going on?" Rainbow Dash asked.

Twilight strode up to her and got within an inch of Rainbow Dash's face. "Where is Rainbow Dash?"


	2. Chapter 2

Forever a Changeling

by Scootaloo-009, a.k.a. Mechsrule1

My Little Pony and related names, images, and scenarios are property of Hasbro Inc.

Chapter 2

"What are you talking about, Twilight?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Don't play stupid, we ain't blind!" Applejack shouted.

"What's going on here? Why can't I move?" Rainbow Dash asked back.

Twilight's horn glowed. "Where. Is. She."

"What has gotten into you? The last thing I remember was Twilight casting her anti-changeling spell. Did something happen?"

"I'll say something happened!" Pinkie Pie replied.

"We found the one changeling in the world stupid enough to hurt one of our friends. The only thing keeping you alive right now is the fact only you know where she is," Twilight snarled.

"Who? We're all here!"

"Rainbow!" Applejack shouted. "Now start talkin' or Ah start hurtin'!"

"I am Rainbow Dash!" Rainbow Dash shouted.

"You're not!" Fluttershy yelled from the other side of the room. Everypony in the room was shocked at her outburst.

Rarity got up and walked over to Rainbow Dash. "I find that very hard to believe. Without your disguise I don't know why you bother continuing to lie."

"What is wrong with you?" Rainbow Dash growled. "I wish somepony would just tell me what's going on instead of asking me a bunch of questions that don't make any sense!"

"You want to know what's wrong? This is what's wrong!" Rarity snapped. She cast a spell that made a mirror appear in thin air.

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes then looked in the mirror. The five other ponies clamped their hooves over their ears as she screamed.

The two limbs she treasured most were gone, feathers replaced with some sort of bluish green membrane. Her coat was now black instead of cyan. By twisting to the side she could see a bluish shell on her back.

Looking up she saw the only familiar features left. Her eyes were still the same color, though they were all magenta now, and her prismatic mane was intact, albeit with a few holes in it, though there was a black spike sticking out of it now.

"How- what... what?" she stammered. She had finally stopped screaming but was breathing heavily.

"Enough theatrics. Tell us where are friend is!" Rarity demanded.

Rainbow Dash stopped hyperventilating and began nervously chuckling. "Heh- good prank, Pinkie. Can you let me down now?"

"This isn't a joke!" Twilight snapped.

"It has to be!" Rainbow Dash whined. "I can't be a changeling!"

"Oh Ah guess yah just look like one. Our bad," Applejack retorted.

"Look, there's just no way. I remember the invasion at Canterlot, Discord, I remember us beating Nightmare Moon, going to Appleloosa, Gilda, flight camp, doing the sonic rainboom, even being a foal!"

"You just saying that doesn't prove anything," Twilight stated.

"Pinkie, when you came to town, I remember it. You invited everypony in town to a party but since you didn't know about the mail system, you hoof delivered every invitation, only you couldn't get one to my house so you sent it with a firecracker. It took me days to fix my house!" Rainbow Dash said. "And Fluttershy, I remember on the first day of flight camp the teacher accidently tripped on your tail. You were so scared of being expelled you hid in the bathroom for two days."

Pinkie Pie glared at her. "You promised to stop bringing that up!"

"Yeah, yeah, losing a friends trust, well I think our friendship kind of died when you strapped me to a wall and yelled at me for no good reason!" Rainbow Dash retorted.

"So you're not going to tell us when you replaced Rainbow Dash?" Twilight asked.

"I already told you, I'm Rainbow Dash! And even if I'm not, I don't remember."

Twilight sighed. "I didn't want to have to do this. It's tricky but it's the only way to know for sure. Pinkie, Applejack, hold it still."

The two ponies nodded and stepped forward. They grabbed the sides of Rainbow Dash's head and forced her to look forward.

"What are you doing?" Rainbow Dash asked nervously.

"I'm going to look through your memories and find out for myself," Twilight replied.

"My memories!" Rainbow Dash's ears drooped even lower. "But- but-"

"This isn't exactly a fun spell for anypony but you're not giving me a choice."

Twilight got really close again and looked into Rainbow Dash's eyes. The gaze was entrancing. Rainbow Dash couldn't, didn't want to look away. It just felt so nice looking into those-

Suddenly she was in Canterlot facing down a duplicate of herself. Then she was in a dragon costume. Then she was on a treadmill next to Big Macintosh.

The images flashed by quickly, like a movie on fast forward. It only seemed to slow down whenever she was looking in a mirror or at her reflection. She decided to just relax and enjoy the free show of her awesome life.

There she was as Commander hurricane, then chasing Mare Do Well, now she was meeting Tank. If she could have closed her eyes, she would have when Discord began running through her mind.

Pinkie going crazy, then meeting the buffalo. Saving Rarity. Gilda.

The memories were going faster now. Rainbow Dash idling wondered how far back Twilight was going to go.

There was Nightmare Moon, then moving to Ponyville. Leaving flight school. Doing the sonic rainboom. More flight school. Meeting Gilda.

Rainbow Dash was getting worried. Twilight didn't show any sign of stopping.

"No," she muttered.

She was getting closer to when she first came to flight school.

"No!" she said, struggling, trying to do anything to make it stop. Anything to avoid reliving that day.

She was being dropped of at flight school now.

"NO!" Rainbow Dash shouted. The image was torn away, leaving her with an even worse headache. There was a loud crash and she felt the hooves leave her head. She opened her eyes, not realizing they had been closed before.

Twilight was on the far side of the room and the rest were crowded around her.

"What just happened," Rainbow Dash groaned, the pain not going away.

"Yah just blasted her, that's what!" Applejack snapped.

"I what?"

Twilight finally regained her composure and stood up. "It's okay. You just knocked me back is all. I wasn't expecting you to cast any magic."

"I can do magic?"

"So?" Pinkie Pie asked.

"Girls, she is Rainbow Dash," Twilight declared.

"Thank you. I didn't know that," Rainbow Dash said, grumbling.

"Or at least she's the Rainbow Dash we know." Twilight went on. "I was stopped before I could go back to her foalhood, but I can be certain that from the day she started flight school onward, this changeling was Rainbow Dash. The switch happened before any of us met her."

"Could they be false memories?" Rarity asked.

Twilight shook her head. "No. I've performed a memory erase spell on myself so I know the signs. I would know if anything had been tampered with."

"You erased some of your own memories? Why?" Fluttershy asked.

"I don't remember. I think it was to see if I could do it, but I had to erase why I did it so there would be nothing left to trigger the memory. I only know I did a good job. The only reason I know is I left myself a note saying I was going to try it."

"Maybe she was always a changeling," Applejack suggested. "And there never was a pony."

"I-" Rainbow Dash started. "Maybe my parents were changelings too and never told me..."

"Why don't you ask them?" Rarity suggested.

"They're... not around any more," Rainbow Dash replied quietly.

There was a knock on the door and Princess Celestia strode into the small room, leaving her guards outside.

"Have you learned anything, Twilight?" she asked.

"She's a changeling but she's also Rainbow Dash," Pinkie Pie declared.

"I don't know when it was switched for the real Rainbow Dash if there was one, but it was before any of us knew her," Twilight explained.

"Hmm..." Princess Celestia hummed.

"What do we do?" Rarity asked.

Princess Celestia was quiet for several minutes, examining Rainbow Dash. "She is the same Rainbow Dash who defeated Discord and Nightmare Moon. If the Element of Loyalty chose her, that alone tells me enough about her character. If she wishes to become Rainbow Dash again and go back to Ponyville then I see no reason to stop her. I will not hold her here."

Whatever was holding Rainbow Dash to the wall opened up, allowing her to fall to the floor. She let herself hit the ground and just lay there, face down.

"Are you okay?" Fluttershy asked.

"My whole life's been ruined, but yeah, I'm fine," Rainbow Dash grunted from the floor.

"Don't think about it like that," Pinkie Pie said, standing over her. "You just learned something new about yourself is all."

"Ah'm sorry bout that, Rainbow. Ah thought yah had been kidnapped and some changeling had tried tah take yer place."

"I'm still a love stealing monster."

"You're not," Fluttershy said.

"Yeah, Ah bet us being friends has been yer food," Applejack.

"It would explain all the times I went without eating and never got hungry," Rainbow Dash said, looking up.

"The only thing I'm confused about is why you weren't affected by Princess Cadance and Shining Armor's magic," Rarity said.

"Maybe it only worked on hostile changelings," Princess Celestia suggested. "Magic can be funny at times."

"Come on, Rainbow Dash, we've got to get back to Ponyville ASAP!" Pinkie Pie said, forcing her to stand up.

"What for?" Rainbow Dash snapped.

"So I can start setting up the party!"

"How can you be thinking of parties at a time like this?" Twilight exclaimed.

"How else are we going to tell everypony in town Rainbow Dash is a super cool changeling?" Pinkie Pie replied.

Rainbow Dash stared out the opposite window of the train as it rolled along. It was easier than looking at all the ponies staring at her.

"Okay, I admit it, taking the train was a bad idea," she said.

"Well if you would just disguise yourself again, it would be fine," Twilight replied snidely.

"I don't know how. I don't know anything about being a changeling," Rainbow Dash replied. She lifted up a hoof and looked at it. She'd spent an hour trying to get it to turn back to it's normal blue but it stayed stubbornly black.

"Isn't there someone who can tell you how?" Pinkie Pie asked.

"Queen Chrysalis's whereabouts are unknown. We have no way of locating her, even if we wanted to," Twilight explained.

"There is another changeling hive," Rainbow Dash said thoughtfully.

"Huh?" Applejack asked.

"By Los Pegasus. I can't believe I forgot about it."

"You're not talking about-" Fluttershy started to say.

"I am," Rainbow Dash finished. "The 'What's Your Fantasy' brothel. I've never gone there myself but I know a lot of ponies who have. Everypony there is a changeling. There has to be at least one who can tell us where their queen is."

"Well you can go by yourself. I'm going no where near that filthy place," Rarity said.

"This train line goes through Los Pegasus. If we stay on we can go there and talk to the changelings there," Twilight said. "Maybe you can go back to your hive."

"Twilight, what's with you?" Fluttershy asked sternly.

"Yeah, she's our friend. Yah've been treatin' her somethin' awful!" Applejack added.

Twilight's look softened. "... You're right. Rainbow Dash, if you want, I'll go with you."

"Alright," Rainbow Dash agreed. "To Los Pegasus!"


	3. Chapter 3

Forever a Changeling

by Scootaloo-009, a.k.a. Mechsrule1

My Little Pony and related names, images, and scenarios are property of Hasbro Inc.

Chapter 3

"Applejack, where were yah?" Apple Bloom shouted. "Big Mac and Granny Smith got worried when yah didn't come back last night!"

"Apple Bloom, Ah told yah Ah was gonna be away fer a bit," Applejack replied, getting of the train. The train had barely stopped before her little sister was glaring at her through the windows.

"Bye, girls, I've got some banners to make!" Pinkie Pie said, skipping.

"Hold on," Rarity said, grabbing Pinkie's tail with her magic. "I don't think Rainbow Dash would appreciate that."

"I don't think we should go around spreading her secret around without her permission," Fluttershy added.

"Secret? What secret?" Apple Bloom asked.

"Rainbow Dash is-" Fluttershy and Rarity clamped their hooves over Pinkie's mouth.

"None of yer business," Applejack said sharply. "Now get yer behind tah school, it's probably already started."

"Okay..." Apple Bloom sighed. She slowly left the station and quickly hid behind a building as her sister and her friends walked by.

"Pinkie, yah gotta promise not tah tell anypony Rainbow Dash is a changeling," Applejack said in a hushed tone. "Only she can decided when and who to tell, not you."

"Okay..." Pinkie Pie said solemnly, dragging her hooves. "I promise, cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye."

"When she does, I'm sure she'll want you to throw the party," Fluttershy said, trying to cheer her up.

"Hey, that's right! I can still plan it, even if I can't throw it right now!" Pinkie Pie said, smiling again.

Apple Bloom peeked around the side of the building to make sure they weren't watching. After they turned a corner, she quickly galloped off, mind buzzing with what she had just heard.

"Is this the place?" Twilight asked.

"Yup," Rainbow Dash replied.

The two of them were standing outside a three story building a little ways out of the center of Los Pegasus. On the front was a large sign that read "What's Your Fantasy?" in big letters with "Whatever it is, you can find it here" in smaller letters. Rarity and Fluttershy had refused to go. Applejack was too busy as always. Pinkie Pie seemed to not understand what the place was for so they convinced her to stay behind.

"Let's get this over with," Twilight said.

"You don't have to come with me, you know," Rainbow Dash told her.

"You're not going in there alone. Now let's go."

Twilight Sparkle and Rainbow Dash each took a deep breath and entered the building. It was very dark inside and Rainbow Dash nearly gagged from the smell. There were tiny lights on the walls casting a dim glow over the entryway. The walls were wood paneling halfway up, then wallpaper up to the ceiling. Several hallways led off from the room and the big feature was a wood desk with a cash register on it. Behind it sat a tall earth pony mare busy reading a magazine.

"Ugh. It stinks in here," she commented, holding a hoof to her nose.

"Really? It's a bit... fragrant but it's not that bad," Twilight replied.

"Do you want to go in now or are you here for reservations?" the mare asked in a nasally voice, speaking to her magazine.

"We're not here for your... services," Twilight replied. "We're looking for information."

"Here's our brochure," the mare said without looking up. She tossed a folded paper at them and Twilight caught it with her magic. "It's got info on rates and our new in home services."

"Look, I need to talk with the queen," Twilight said. "If she's here, that is."

Finally the mare looked up. "I'll ask if she wants to see you." She leaned over to a phone on the desk and pressed a button. "Queen Ovi, some pony wants to see you."

"Name?" came the reply. The mare looked up expectantly.

"Twilight Sparkle, the personal student of Princess Celestia."

"Celestia's-"

"I heard. Send her in," the voice said.

"Down the left hall. Take the stairs at the end until you reach the top floor," the mare said, returning to her magazine.

"Thanks," Rainbow Dash said before heading down the hallway.

It was very similar to the entry room but with doors every ten feet or so. Some were open and Rainbow Dash couldn't help peeking inside them. In each she could see a changeling in each lying on a simple bed with a few thin sheets and some giant pillows. She could also see the edge of a locker she assumed held various... things. Some changelings were asleep, others seemed bored, and some were busy putting the room back to the way it was supposed to look. She noticed their shells were all bright pink, not blue like hers.

"Huh," she said as they mounted the worn wooden stairs. When the reached the top they found two large changelings guarding an elegant set of double doors. They weren't like the other changelings, these two were built like diamond dogs.

"The Queen is waiting," one said with surprising clarity. It reached over and opened one door delicately. Twilight nodded and went inside with Rainbow Dash following nervously. She gazed up in awe at the massive creatures. She realized she was dragging behind and sped up.

The new room was just as elegant as the doors. It wasn't any brighter though. A gilded carpet led to a mahogany desk. Behind it was a plush chair that was currently turned away from them.

"Hello?" Twilight called.

"Hello, Twilight." The chair turned around to reveal Princess Celestia sitting there, her hooves together with a lusty grin on her face.

"Princess? What are you doing here?" Twilight exclaimed.

"I could ask you the same question. Here for a little affection you don't get from me?"

"Bwah?"

"We can make up for lost time now." Princess Celestia smiled more broadly, batting her eyelashes. "Why don't you step over here? Let me show you what thousands of years of experience is like."

"What? No!"

"Do you want something more masculine?" Princess Celestia asked. Her face began changing, becoming more like that of a stallion.

"Huh?"

"Something darker perhaps?" Her whole body shifted again, becoming a replica of Princess Luna.

"Twilight, she's just messing with you!" Rainbow Dash shouted. "Shape shifting, remember?"

"Party pooper!" Princess Luna snapped, sticking her tongue out. Her body changed again, this time becoming the familiar shape of a changeling queen. She wasn't exactly like Chrysalis, her mane was much shorter and translucent blond. The shell on her back was pink just like the other changelings had been.

"Now why are you here?" she asked when she was done changing.

"I'm here because of this changeling," Twilight said, pointing to Rainbow Dash.

Queen Ovi looked bored. "Yes, what about her?"

"Is it one of yours?" Twilight asked.

"No."

The response was so immediate, Twilight was shocked. "How can you tell?"

"The shells, right?" Rainbow Dash said.

"That and your pheromones," Queen Ovi replied. "I'll explain it to the pony for you. Every hive has its own scent. Color is probably the only way you ponies will tell us apart. Some hives have duplicate colors but that is why we have pheromones to tell each other apart."

"So that's what you're smelling," Twilight realized.

"Yeah, it reeks in here," Rainbow Dash said.

"Changeling pheromones are meant to smell repulsive to members of other hives," Queen Ovi stated.

"Do you know what hive it does belong to?" Twilight asked.

"You know, I really don't like your attitude," Queen Ovi said.

"Please could you tell us?"

"It's not that. I know your language is limited in its pronouns but certainly your friend is getting annoyed with you calling her an 'it' all the time."

"Yeah, I am still a mare, Twilight. I wasn't going to say anything though," Rainbow Dash added.

"Sorry, I just assumed changelings were genderless," Twilight said sheepishly.

"They are to an extent," Queen Ovi replied. "Obviously as Queen I have a set gender by default. Drones don't but they seem to have a preference. Some like being male, some female, some both, and some neither. I don't know why. It doesn't interfere with their duties so I don't force mine to stay in any form."

"Is that why her mane is still basically the same color?" Twilight asked.

"Probably. My changelings have two main forms, the standard identical form where they all look the same and are genderless, and the chosen form. They obviously take whatever form our customer wants but that is temporary. I don't know why some have a preference on gender or mane appearance but it doesn't hurt them and I don't mind.

"It could also be just a trait of her hive. My hive, for example, is able to shapeshift without all that flashy fire the other hives have. It is very useful as a sudden burst of flame would scare our clientele."

"Going back to her question, can you tell me what hive I'm from?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Don't you know?"

Rainbow Dash shook her head. "I found out I was a changeling yesterday when her spell made me change into this. I never knew."

"That is... unusual. However, I cannot help you," Queen Ovi said.

Rainbow Dash looked crestfallen.

"If I could, I would. However I have never met another changeling from your hive."

"Is there any place we could go to find out?" Twilight asked.

"No. Unlike you ponies, we changelings live by ourselves. The only time hives come together is to fight over territory. Because of the nature of this place, many, many ponies come here. Some bring along changeling companions without knowing it. I thought I had seen a member of every hive out there. I've worked hard to ensure this place is free from conflict. If they were causing a problem we would definitely be shut down.

"I've made sure visiting changelings understand this is neutral ground. They fight and they are kicked out. If you are trying to find your own hive I would be very careful. You might run into a hive hostile towards yours. Your pony friend would simply be used for food while you would likely be killed," Queen Ovi explained.

"So what should I do?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"I would return to the life you lived."

"I would but I don't know how to disguise," Rainbow Dash admitted.

"I suppose I can teach you that," Queen Ovi said.

"Thank you."

"You're really kind," Twilight added.

"I feel bad for her," Queen Ovi explained. "The only explanation I can think of for never meeting another from your hive is that there isn't one."

"But how is that possible?" Twilight asked.

"A hive dies when the queen passes with no viable successor. When that happens the drones have no direction and die off very quickly. I do not know how you came into whatever circumstances that led to you surviving, but know you are very fortunate. You are the only changeling I have ever encountered that has survived alone."

"Huh," Rainbow Dash said. "I'm not going to turn into a queen or something, am I?"

"No, you would already be one," Queen Ovi replied.

"Can I ask something?" Twilight asked. "Why do you run this place? It must be so degrading for the changelings."

"It isn't at all," Queen Ovi answered. "My little changelings are quite happy. We are the only hive with a stable food source. I, like my five predecessors have done everything to ensure this place thrives. Lovesick ponies come in, we take care of them, they leave, and everyone is happy. From time to time some 'moral crusader' will decide they want us out of their town so I'll nicely remind them of when they were here themselves, howling like a timberwolf. They quiet down and we go on.

"Places like this will always exist and changelings are the ideal ones to run it. Ponies love our abilities and we're immune to most pony illnesses, and genetically incompatible to boot."

"That's good to know," Rainbow Dash said.

Queen Ovi leaned over. "You fascinate me. What is your name?"

"Rainbow Dash!"

"See, if I had asked a drone, they would say something boring like a number or maybe what their cover's name was. You have a lot more... personality than most drones. If I had only heard of you, I would say you must be a Queen, but you definitely are not."

"You said I was rude for assuming Rainbow Dash had no gender, but now you're bad mouthing your own changelings?" Twilight exclaimed.

"Their job is to serve the Queen and the hive. They rarely have an identity outside of that. That is why I encourage any step towards individuality. They can be so dull at times. I had to hire a pony to be my receptionist because they couldn't do it."

"So why am I me?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Only you can answer that."

"You're crazy," Scootaloo said to Apple Bloom.

"Ah heard it from mah big sis. Rainbow Dash is a changeling." Apple Bloom repeated.

"Did she say she was a changeling or that a changeling was pretending to be her?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"It sounded like she was," Apple Bloom replied.

"Well I won't believe it until I hear it from her!" Scootaloo said defiantly. "I'll go ask her right now!"

"Scoots, we still have school," Sweetie Belle said, pointing to the school house. "I don't think you could find her before lunch is over."

"Plus she ain't even in town," Apple Bloom added. "She didn't come home with Applejack and the rest."

Scootaloo looked at her sandwich. "I still want to hear it from her."

"Visualize, focus, then..." There was a burst of bright blue flame. "What do you think, Twilight?"

Twilight looked over. She was shocked to see what she could only call a male version of Rainbow Dash.

"Call me Rainbow Blitz!" the stallion said, smirking.

"You really got the hang of that," Twilight noted.

"Yeah. Though I think I'll just stay as myself." There was another flash of blue and Rainbow Dash was once again a cyan pegasus mare.

"You still have fangs."

"Oops."

"I don't think your wings were that big before."

Rainbow Dash flexed the appendages on her back that were now as big as she was. "What? They totally were!"

Queen Ovi had only taught her a few things. Everything else she had said was "unimportant for a lone changeling to know". After covering how to transform, she'd also explained how to control her pheromone levels. It could be important if she met other changelings as they would smell her from a distance and may be hostile. She's also explained that changelings could locate ponies by sensing their emotions but it was useless for finding a particular pony and it was difficult to learn. Queen Ovi explained the basics of how to do it and left Rainbow Dash to develop the skill if she wanted to.

"You seem a lot happier about all this then you did yesterday," Twilight observed.

Rainbow Dash's cheer vanished. "It's still pretty crazy, but now that I'm me again, I think I'm okay with this. I just wish I knew what happened."

"If you let me see your memories-"

"No, Twilight."

"Can you at least tell me why?"

Rainbow Dash looked away. "It's personal."

"Okay, I won't make you tell me."

"My parents must have found me and thought I was an abandoned foal or something. They never said anything about it, but this would explain why I'm the only pegasus in ten generations of earth ponies."

"Your parents were earth ponies?" Twilight said, trying to stifle a giggle.

"Yeah. Hard to believe the greatest flyer ever to come out of Cloudsdale spent her early years on the ground," Rainbow Dash said, smiling. "Though I was flying a lot then too."

"Look, Rainbow Dash, I really want to apologize. This must be really hard for you and I've done nothing but treat you badly."

Rainbow Dash smiled knowingly. "Twilight, after what happened at the wedding, I don't blame you for being suspicious."

"Still I want to make it up to you. How about if I teach you some magic?"

"I don't know, can I even do magic?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Queen Chrysalis had no problem using it."

"But that was changeling magic. You're talking about pony magic. I don't think they're the same," Rainbow Dash said. "And I'm a pegasus at heart. Magic is your thing."

"You could give it a try. It couldn't-" Twilight stopped. A green mist had appeared in front of her. It turned into a scroll in a flash of light. Curious, she opened it and began reading.

"Anything important?"

"Yeah. It's from Princess Celestia. It seems that the unicorn she sent to Manehattan to look for changelings has vanished. She wants me to look into it."

"Sounds like trouble. There might be a bunch there if they took out a court mage. I'm coming too," Rainbow Dash declared.

"Having you there would be an invaluable asset."

"Yeah and I want ponies to know not all changelings are bad."

Twilight looked at her questioningly.

"I'm sure everypony already knows what I am. You girls are being really great about this but there are just five of you."

Twilight shook her head, smiling. "I don't think so. We were worried a random changeling would cause a panic so I don't think anypony saw you, and even if they did, I don't think any of them knew it was you."

"That's a relief. The fewer ponies who know, the better."


	4. Chapter 4

Forever a Changeling

by Scootaloo-009, a.k.a. Mechsrule1

My Little Pony and related names, images, and scenarios are property of Hasbro Inc.

Chapter 4

Smoke burst from the train's smoke stack. The wheels began turning. Slowly it edged its way out of the station.

"So?" Twilight asked once it had vanished from sight. They'd gone almost nonstop from Los Pegasus to Manehattan, stopping only long enough to pick up some of their traveling things in Ponyville.

Rainbow Dash sniffed the air. "Eh. It's really hard to tell. I can't really work out what's a changeling smell and what just stinks. I think the only way I'll know is if I smell something you can't."

"That's okay, my original plan was to walk around and cast my detection spell until I found it."

"They'll see that coming, Twilight. That's probably what happened to the other unicorn. They saw him or her and attacked when they got the chance."

"So what do you suggest we do?"

"We should definitely stick together for one thing. Do you know where the other unicorn was when they were attacked?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"No and I can't track them either unless I knew who they were."

"Do you atleast know where they were staying?"

"Princess Celestia did say they were at the Grand Hotel for three days before they stopped sending progress reports," Twilight answered. "She already booked me a room there."

"Great idea. We just stay at the same place the last guy went missing at."

"It would still be a good place to start," Twilight shot back. "We should head right there."

Rainbow Dash couldn't stop looking at the city around them. She'd never been to Manehattan before. It was about as populated as Cloudsdale but there were far fewer pegasi and far more unicorns and earth ponies. Most were dressed in suits and dresses, making the two of them stand out in their nudity.

Rainbow Dash was very glad that her pony sense was inactive by default. She would have surely been overwhelmed by now if she hadn't worked out how to turn it off. She looked over at Twilight who didn't seem as nearly as interested. _I wonder if she's just focused or used to big cities. I wonder..._

Queen Ovi had explained how to actually sense ponies by their emotions but had emphasised that it was difficult to master. An experienced changeling could walk into a party and tell the exact emotional state of everypony in the room. An amatuer would be a fast learner if they could even count the number of ponies.

Rainbow Dash did as she had been instructed and opened her mind, letting the feelings of the nearby ponies just-

"Ack!" Rainbow Dash cried out and clutched her throbbing head. It was like a thousand radios had all turned on at once inside her head. She couldn't understand any of it and it was becoming more and more painful so she closed herself off again, hoping the agony would go away quickly.

"Are you okay?" Twilight asked, putting a hoof on her back.

Rainbow Dash looked up and saw several ponies were staring at her. "Stubbed my hoof," she lied to the crowd.

Twilight and Rainbow Dash entered the glittering building through a revolving door. The lobby was immaculate, with marble tile, and a great open area that went up to the very top floor. From almost the entire lobby they could see every single floor. Behind them, Twilight carried her luggage with her magic. She'd brought two large suitcases while Rainbow Dash had only brought her saddlebags.

"Welcome to the Grand Hotel. How may I help you?" asked a reddish unicorn wearing formal attire.

"I'm Twilight Sparkle, I believe Princess Celestia already informed you I was coming?"

"Yes, I was expecting you, but I didn't know you had a guest," he said. "I'm Highrise, the manager. We will have to give you a different room, the one we had set up only has one bed."

"I'm sorry if we're being a bother," Twilight said.

He dismissively waved a hoof. "This whole thing is so embarrassing. A court mage vanishes without a trace in my hotel."

"Any sign of a struggle?"

"No. When we found he was missing, it was when a maid went to clean his room. It was like it had already been cleaned without a trace of him anywhere. Nopony saw him leave either. We left the room as it was so you can see it for yourself."

"Thank you."

"If you come with me, I'll get you the key to his room and your room key," Highrise said. He turned and walked over to the desk.

Twilight followed but noticed Rainbow Dash had wandered out of the lobby at some point.

"Could I get the key to room 610, please?" Highrise asked one of the receptionists. She quickly got it and hoofed it to him. "Also we need to move room 1018 to a room with two beds."

"I'll see what we have available," the receptionist said. She rifled through a notebook. "1025 is available." She went over to a big board covered in keys and took one down. She returned to the desk and gave it to Highrise.

"Perfect. Here are the keys."

"Thank you," Twilight said, seeing Rainbow Dash had returned out of the corner of her eye. "I think we'll go look at his room first." Twilight gave a slight bow then walked over to Rainbow Dash. "Did you find something?"

"Yeah, maybe," Rainbow Dash said, her head turned so she was looking down one of the first floor hallways. "Do you smell that? I know the smell from somewhere, but I just can't place it."

Twilight shook her head. "I don't smell anything."

"Do we have our room?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Yes, it's on the top floor."

"Good. Let's go. I'll tell you about it there."

The room was quite the surprise. It must have been a suite of some sort because the amenities were top notch. It even had a mini kitchen area. Rainbow Dash had initially gagged at the sight of all the hanging paintings and lacy curtains but one she laid down on one of the beds, she changed her mind.

"Okay, so what is it you wanted to say?" Twilight asked once she had laid her suitcases on one of the beds.

"Feels just like a cloud!" she sighed, a contented smile on her face.

"Rainbow Dash, could you please tell me?"

"Oh, right," Rainbow Dash said, leaning forward. "Down in the lobby I think I caught a whiff of another changeling."

"Are you sure?"

"No, but you didn't smell it, so it probably is. Trouble is, I can't get to her."

"Why?"

A few minutes earlier

Rainbow Dash and Twilight entered the hotel lobby. There seemed to be a pony waiting for them and Twilight went off to talk with him. Rainbow Dash moved to join her but something caught her attention.

She sniffed the air several times. It smelled like... like... She couldn't place the smell exactly. It was so familiar too, like something she was always around but she just couldn't remember it now. The scent was faint, but as Rainbow Dash walked through the lobby it grew a bit stronger. Still curious, she followed the smell into one of the halls leading off the main room. She stopped in front of a set of open double doors.

Rainbow Dash peeked inside and found the room was full of ponies in fancy outfits milling about, talking. There was a large sign just inside the door reading "The AflUNIent Club Annual Meeting"

"Huh." Rainbow Dash looked and saw they were all unicorns. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. One flash of blue later and her wings had vanished, instead a little horn poked through her mane. Confidently she walked into the room only to walk straight into two burly earth ponies in hotel uniforms.

"Name?" one barked.

"Uh... Rainbow Dash?" she said nervously.

The other pony took out a clipboard and flipped through the pages. "You're not on the list. This convention is for club members only. Get lost."

"Oh yeah?" Rainbow Dash snarled, getting close. They didn't budge. She snorted but stormed out. Once outside the door she changed back to her normal form then returned to the lobby.

"The AflUNIent Club," Twilight repeated, looking thoughtful. "I've heard of it. You think the changeling we're looking for is hiding in there?"

"No, I don't," Rainbow Dash replied. "The meeting is all weekend and it just started today. If it was the changeling that attacked the mage, then why is it still here? Still, I'd like to check out his room to be sure."

"We should unpack first," Twilight said, pointing to one of her suitcases lying on the bed. She opened it with a spark of magic and began carefully taking out the items one by one and placing them where they should be.

"Done," Rainbow Dash said. Twilight looked over, surprised she had finished so soon. All Rainbow Dash had apparently brought was a simple rainbow colored dress, which was now hanging up, a Daring Do book, some sunglasses, and a pack of gum.

"Rainbow Dash, that's all you brought? We could be here awhile!"

"This is all I need. Probably more, but I'm working on my third readthrough of Daring Do. I'm the fourth book already!"

"But what about a hair brush, money?" Twilight exclaimed.

"I have some bits on me. I don't need anything else."

"No toothbrush?" Twilight said, opening her mouth and sticking her tongue out in disgust.

"If I get a cavity I can just give myself a new tooth," Rainbow Dash said dryly. "If I want to style my mane, I can do it in two seconds."

Twilight thought about it for a moment. "You'll still get bad breath."

"That's what the gum is for."

"Princess Celestia was nice enough to get this room for us but we're on our own for meals."

"You mean you're on your own," Rainbow Dash corrected. "I'm not eating."

"What?" Twilight exclaimed.

"I don't need to eat. I figure, why bother? It's just a waste of food."

"Surely you'll still get hungry..."

Rainbow Dash snorted and smirked to herself. "It's funny how I never noticed I never got really hungry unless I was away from other ponies. I haven't eaten since... well since I found out I'm a changeling. I still feel just as full."

"So you're not ever going to eat again? Just like that?"

"Saves a lot of hassle," Rainbow Dash replied. "I'm going to go check out the other room."

"Here's the key," Twilight said, a worried look on her face.

Rainbow Dash entered room 610 and at once began sniffing around. It was faint but she definitely smelled something. It wasn't like the brothel but it was definitely foul smelling.

She didn't know anything about detective work so she basically walked around and waited for Twilight to come along. The room itself was suspicious. It was too clean, too orderly. According to the letter, the mage had been staying here for three days before he vanished, yet the room was as neat and tidy as though it had been unused. There was no sign of any luggage or a struggle of any kind.

"You two must leave."

Rainbow Dash whipped around and saw a light purple pegasus in the doorway.

"What did you say to me?" Rainbow Dash snarled.

"Leave. Or be killed."

"I'd like to see you make me," Rainbow Dash shouted. She bent her knees and stared him down.

"Fool." The pony was engulfed in purple flame for an instant. It was no longer a pony but a changeling with a purple shell and no mane or tail. Faster than she could follow, the changeling pounced on her and the two began rolling around on the floor. The changeling went for her neck.

Her hoof forced, Rainbow Dash responded with her own burst of blue fire. The other changeling's fangs couldn't pierce her thick black skin. She kept bludgeoning him and he battered her back.

"Stop!"

The two stopped and looked at the door. There stood Twilight. The unicorn's horn glowed and the other changeling was forcibly yanked off of Rainbow Dash and into a wall.

"Colt am I glad to see you," Rainbow Dash exclaimed. "How did you know which was me?"

"I sort of guessed," Twilight said sheepishly.

"Fools!" the changeling shouted.

"Stay right where you are!" Twilight ordered.

"You two leave. And take that unicorn with you!"

The changeling looked at the two of them. It must have changed its mind about fighting them because it turned and began running for the window. Rainbow Dash gave chase. She half expected him to do something before he hit the window but instead as he neared there was a flash of purple and suddenly he was outside.

"Wah?" Rainbow Dash said before she slammed into the window herself. She slumped down onto the floor. "Ow." Beyond the window the changeling had turned back into a purple pegasus and was now flying off into the distance.

"Are you alright?" Twilight exclaimed, rushing over.

"Yeah. I guess we know how they got him out without anypony seeing," Rainbow Dash said, rubbing her face.

"Short range teleport. That's something I haven't seen a changeling do before. At least we know where the changeling is."

"No we don't," Rainbow Dash replied.

"Huh?" Twilight said, confused.

"That guy smelled just like this room did. It's not the same one I smelled earlier."

"That means there are at least two here!"

"Right. And that other one..." Rainbow Dash went quiet. "I think they're a sibling."

"I'm sorry but I can't let you go into the convention if you're not a member," Highrise said.

"But sir, we are certain there is a changeling in there," Twilight replied.

"The AflUNIent Club is the single biggest event this hotel sees. Nothing else even comes close to the amount of money those stuck up unicorns spend. I cannot jeopardize that for anything. They've been having their annual meeting here every year since they formed. They pay very well to keep non-members out. If there really is a changeling in there you'll have to wait for them to get out. I'm sorry."

"But..." Twilight whined.

"Come on, we'll figure something out," Rainbow Dash said. She practically dragged Twilight away and into one of the hallways leading off the lobby. She kept walking until she found a bathroom and forced Twilight inside.

"Um... What are we doing in here?" Twilight asked as Rainbow Dash checked the stalls to see if there was anypony there.

"Can you lock the door?" she asked once she was sure they were alone.

Twilight rolled her eyes, but cast a simple locking spell. "What's this all about?"

"If we're going to get in there, we'll need to find a pony who's already in there that I can disguise as."

"And the reason we're in a bathroom?"

"Well I don't think it would be a smart idea to talk about this out there, and we need a place to put the pony."

"This doesn't seem like a good idea," Twilight said nervously.

"Do you have a better one?"

"Well... no..."

"Hang on," Rainbow Dash said. She turned to the mirror and focused. A second later her wings were gone and once again there was a horn poking out of her mane. "There."

"Hey, now there's an idea," Twilight said. "Why don't we at least try getting in by saying we want to join?"

"That's... yeah, let's do that."

"But you can't go out like that," Twilight said, walking over. "You need to at least look nice."

"Fine," Rainbow Dash grumbled. She turned back to the mirror. "Hmm..." She thought back to a fashion magazine she'd glimpsed in Rarity's store one day. She focused hard and let out the burst of blue fire. "How's that?"

Twilight had to laugh at the incredibly ridiculous mane Rainbow Dash was now sporting. It was so unlike her. Each color had been separated into individual locks that were now draped at various angles. "Just one thing. Your cutie mark."

"What about it?" Rainbow Dash asked, biting her lip.

"It's clearly a pegasus cutie mark. You'll have to change it."

"Sure, why not? It's not like it's even real!" Rainbow Dash suddenly shouted.

"Rainbow... You don't have to do this if you don't want to..."

"I don't have to, but I have to. I have to know if this changeling knows anything I don't. I have to." Rainbow Dash's flank burst into blue flames, replacing the rainbow lightning bolt with a rainbow stretching between two clouds. She closed her eyes and turned her head away. "Is this good?"

"They'll probably buy that. Let's go." Twilight went over to the door and removed the spell. Rainbow Dash lingered at the mirror before following. Twilight walked through the hallway towards the convention hall. As she watched, Rainbow Dash began walking more confidently.

"I hope they'll let us in," Rainbow Dash said as they neared.

"Well, hello," came a voice from behind them. They turned and saw an off white unicorn with an azure mane standing there. He was wearing a suit and a monocle and was looking at them with interest. "Have we met before? You two seem ladies seem very familiar... Now I remember! You're friends of Miss Rarity, right?"

"Uh, yeah," Twilight replied quickly.

He leaned in and looked closely at Rainbow Dash. She held her breath for a few tense seconds. "Say, I could have sworn you were a pegasus."

"Er..." Twilight mumbled.

"That-" Rainbow Dash began, then she cleared her throat. "That's a common mistake, darling. You are probably thinking of my twin sister, Rainbow Dash. I'm Rainbow Posh."

Twilight had to force herself not to stare at Rainbow Dash. Her voice had completely changed and she sounded like a combination of Rarity and Princess Luna. She was even talking like Rarity normally did.

"Rainbow Posh?" the dapper unicorn said curiously.

Rainbow Dash waved a hoof dismissively and rolled her eyes. "Parents."

"So what brings you to Manehatten?"

"We were taking a vacation and we heard about this AflUNIent Club. It sounds simply fascinating but they would not let us in," Rainbow Dash explained.

"Why don't you ladies come with me? I'll see about that." The unicorn moved passed by them and walked off towards the hall. Twilight and Rainbow Dash looked at eachother then followed.

"I didn't know you could do that with your voice," Twilight whispered. "Is there anything else Queen Ovi told you when she kicked me out of the room?"

Rainbow Dash coughed again then spoke in her normal voice. "Even I didn't know I could do that. I told you basically everything she told me."

"Basically?"

Rainbow Dash smirked and coughed. "Basically," she replied, sounding exactly like Twilight.

"Okay, that's creepy."

Rainbow Dash replied by coughing again.

"Name?"

"Fancy Pants."

Twilight hadn't even noticed they were already outside the convention hall. Two burly earth ponies were blocking the entrance. One was busy flipping through some papers at the moment.

"Welcome, sir," the earth pony said, putting the papers away.

"Your names?" the other asked Rainbow Dash and Twilight.

"They are with me," Fancy Pants answered. "Prospective members."

"Very well," the second earth pony said. The two backed away, allowing the three to enter.

"This is a virtual who's who of unicorns!" Rainbow Dash commented, once more in her cover voice.

"It is, isn't it," Fancy Pants agreed.

"Why, is that-" Rainbow Dash trailed off. She took off in a brisk walk toward some unseen pony.

When it became apparent Rainbow Dash wasn't going to come back soon, Twilight settled in, staying near Fancy Pants as he met with various unicorns, very few she had ever heard of.

"Hey, Twilight."

Twilight turned around to see Rainbow Dash standing behind her. She had been gone almost an hour by Twilight's count and Twilight was about to fall asleep from boredom. It was an entirely new feeling for her. She could listen to any professor lecture for hours and not lose her focus once, but hearing these unicorns drone on about what they just bought or how their foal is doing in some private school was torture. She could understand why Applejack hated this city so much.

"Did you find it?" Twilight asked.

"Her," Rainbow Dash corrected. "And I'm pretty sure. I went around the room twice and I found the mare who smells the strongest, though she could have just been hugging the changeling for a long time before coming here. I need some way to be certain."

"I have an idea," Twilight replied. "How good are you at controlling your pheromones?"

"Uh... I don't know? I can't smell my own so I can't tell if it's working but I do know the basics."

"My idea is we test to see if she can smell you, then we'll know."

"What, we walk up and say, 'hey, can you smell me?', yeah that will go over real well," Rainbow Dash said, rolling her eyes.

Twilight scowled and used her magic to conjure a glass jar with some water in it. She levitated it over to Rainbow Dash who held it and looked at her with one brow cocked.

"You'll have to play along. Try to not release any pheromones until I tell you to open the jar, then go into overdrive. Can you do that?"

"I'll try."

Twilight excused herself and left the group. "Where is she?"

"She's this way," Rainbow Dash answered, pushing her way through the throngs of unicorns. "She's light green with a light blue mane."

Twilight looked at the crowd. "The one that's... kind of acting like how Fluttershy would be here?" The unicorn she saw was looking about, trying to to be see in the congregation of ponies.

"Yeah."

Twilight began moving towards the nervous pony while Rainbow Dash followed. She focused on staying as emotional as she could. As it had been explained to her, changelings actually produced more pheromones when they were calm then when they were feeling something. Queen Ovi's guess had been this was because changelings were naturally calm and only rarely had or even more rarely showed emotion. She just imagined herself flying over and over.

"Hello," Twilight greeted the scared looking unicorn in the softest voice she could think of.

The unicorn looked at her, wide eyed, unsure of what to do. "H-Hi?"

"I'm Twilight Sparkle, and this is my... associate, Rainbow Posh."

"Um... hi... my name is Meadow Breeze. This is my first time here."

"Us too," Rainbow Dash replied. She hung back a bit, imagining the sensation of the wind through her mane. The thought keeping hear heart light and hopefully her scent down.

"The thing is I'm here conducting an experiment. I make perfumes. By accident I made a fragrance that only some ponies can smell and I'm trying to find out why. Would you mind if I tried it on you?" Twilight explained.

"Um... sure. I mean, I don't mind," Meadow Breeze said.

"Rainbow," Twilight prompted. Rainbow Dash nodded and stepped closer. She opened the jar and at the same time she took a deep breath and did her best to empty her mind. She just looked at the jar and didn't allow herself to think of anything but.

Meadow Breeze leaned in and sniffed the air around the mouth of the jar. It was tentative at first, but she did give it a few good sniffs and smiled.

"Do you smell it?" Twilight asked.

"I think so," Meadow Breeze replied, her nerves seemed to have vanished for the time being. "It... it kind of smells like apples. Is it supposed to smell like that?"

"I don't know," Twilight answered. "I can't smell it, but Rainbow here can."

 _Apples... I knew it smelled familiar! It's like Sweet Apple Acres in the morning!_ Rainbow Dash put the lid back on the jar and nodded. "We're the only two here who can."

"Oh," Meadow Breeze exclaimed.

"Would you mind coming with us to our room? If I... have the two of you there I... can look for similarities between you two and... maybe discover why you two can smell it and I can't," Twilight said slowly, trying to come up with a good excuse. She didn't want to cause any commotion in such a crowded room, but getting her to leave might be tricky with how-

"Sure," Meadow Breeze agreed, almost at once. "Um... would I be able to take some of that home? It smells wonderful."

"We'll see what we can do," Rainbow Dash said, scratching the back of her head.

"Wow, you have a top floor suite?" Meadow Breeze commented, entering their room. Twilight was in the lead while Rainbow Dash followed. She took the brief moment to change back to her normal form. "Just who are you?"

"We're just really lucky is all," Twilight replied.

"So you wanted to find out if we have similarities? Well I like-"

"Not like that," Twilight interrupted. "It would have to be biological."

"Twilight, we already-"

"Rainbow, let me do the talking," Twilight said sternly. "Now, is there anything that might make you unique?"

"Um..." Meadow Breeze said. "Not that I can really think of. My parents are both unicorns and they're the only reason I got into that club. I'm not really anything special."

"They're both still alive?"

"Yes."

"Hmm... are they here?"

"Yes."

"Rainbow Dash, any chance-"

"I know what you're going to ask, and no. It's just her," Rainbow Dash replied.

"I'm very confused," Meadow Breeze said.

"Think, is there anything in your foalhood that seemed strange? That not everypony has or goes through?"

"Well when I was really little I nearly died," Meadow Breeze said. "But what would that have to do with it?"

"Almost died? how?" Twilight asked, pressing her. Meadow Breeze shrank away.

"I... I was really sick. The doctors thought I was going to die but I pulled through."

"Do you remember anything around that time? Before? After?"

"I... why are you even asking this? I thought you wanted to know why I could smell something."

"Twilight, what are you doing?" Rainbow Dash demanded.

"Rainbow Dash, we might actually learn something," Twilight replied, raising her voice.

Meadow Breeze had glanced at Rainbow Dash but now she couldn't look away.

"You... why are you a pegasus?" Meadow Breeze cried, leaping away from Rainbow Dash. "You were a unicorn!"

"Wow, you really don't know," Rainbow Dash said, not sounding very surprised. "This jar," she went on, dropping it on the floor, "is full of water. Nothing else."

"But... that smell..."

"That scent was changeling pheromone," Twilight explained. "Only changelings can smell it."

"Wha-" Meadow Breeze was utterly terrified now. She was backing away and bumped into the door. She couldn't move any further back so she just pressed her body to the door as hard as she could.

"It's okay," Rainbow Dash said, smiling at her like she did when Fluttershy was scared. "You're not alone."

"We don't want to hurt you, just to talk," Twilight said softly.

"No! You're lying!"

"Meadow, it's true. I didn't want to believe it at first either, but I can't deny it. I want to help you."

"Get away from me!" Meadow Breeze shouted.

"You were going to find out sooner or later, and you might as well learn in here and now while you're safe, rather than by some bad pony who wants to hurt you," Rainbow Dash said. She took a deep breath and removed her disguise. "This makes us like... sisters!"

"Aaahhhh!" Meadow Breeze screamed. There was a flash of light and she was gone.

"Drat, I didn't expect her to teleport," Twilight said glumly. "That could have gone better."

"I can't blame her, I'm about ten seconds away from doing that myself," Rainbow Dash said. She walked through the room and stopped by the big windows. She looked out and stared up at the moon.

"You are? But... you seem so calm. I thought you were actually okay with what's happened," Twilight said, joining her.

"I have something to do. Something to focus on. Twilight, it's like I don't even know myself anymore."

"Well I know you," Twilight said, leaning against Rainbow Dash.

"Thanks,"Rainbow Dash said, staring out the window. Suddenly she jerked away, causing Twilight to lose her balance for a second.

"What's the matter?" Twilight asked, turning around to look at the panicking changeling.

"We've got to run, now!" Rainbow Dash said urgently. She immediately began galloping for the door. "Come on!"

"What did you-" Twilight began. Suddenly there were five flashes of purple fire as five changelings in purple armor teleported through the window. "Ahh!"

"Come on!" Rainbow Dash snarled, grabbing Twilight by the mane and pulling her away as the changelings pounced. Twilight got up and fired a bolt of magic at one of the changelings. When the magic hit the armor it dissipated. Twilight cast a few more spells and they didn't do anything either.

"What do we do now?" Twilight asked. The five first changelings had gotten up as well and a dozen more burst into the room. She turned around and saw six changelings had come in from the other side of the room, effectively surrounding them.

"Uhhh.. in here!" Rainbow Dash said, pulling her into the bathroom and slamming the door. "Put up a forcefield!"

Twilight nodded and cast the spell immediately. "That won't hold them for long. I'm not as good at shield spells as Shining Armor." Outside they could hear the thumps of changelings throwing themselves against the barrier.

"Just teleport us out of here," Rainbow Dash suggested.

"Um... I can't do it with the shield up, I had to do that so they couldn't get in," Twilight replied. "And it's a bad idea to teleport when you can't see where you're going unless you know the area really, really well. You might get stuck in a wall or another pony and that's really bad."

"What if I can become something tougher?" Rainbow Dash wondered out loud. She walked over to the vanity and looked at herself in the mirror. "How about a diamond dog?" she burst into blue flames but was disappointed by the result. She was gray like a diamond dog, and her face was a bit like theirs but she was still very much a pony. "A dragon?" This time she was a bit more distinct, with a series of rainbow colored nubs running down her back and a mouth full of fangs but she was still a pony. She even tried breathing fire but nothing came out.

She tried a third time, envisioning Gilda. Again, her coat pattern changed. Her front half was white while her rear half was blue and she had yellow on her muzzle and forehooves. "Clearly I can't turn into anything that isn't a pony. Now who could really frighten them..."

Rainbow Dash shapeshifted again. Her coat became dark blue and her mane was slightly translucent with little white specks in it. She even had a horn, wings, and a crescent moon cutie mark.

"Luna? Really?"

"Well I couldn't remember what Nightmare Moon looked like well enough to do her." Rainbow Dash sighed. "And I'm still the same size. Ovi was right, you can't get bigger with shapeshifting." She gloomily changed back to her normal form.

"I guess that makes sense though. Besides I don't think they'll scare that easily. Chrysalis's changelings didn't seem to have any problems with attacking Princess Celestia"

"Hmm. I've got an idea, but you have to trust me on this one."

"Have you ever given me a reason not to?"

Rainbow Dash looked at the door, then at Twilight. Suddenly she grabbed the unicorn's head and looked at her closely. After a second of this, Rainbow Dash burst into blue flames. Now Twilight was staring at a mirror image of herself.

"Um..." was all she could say.

"Sorry about this," Rainbow Dash said. She let go of Twilight and began rubbing herself against her instead.

"What are you doing?" Twilight groaned, her face turning red.

"I figure they're pretty stupid, so if we go out there looking the same then they will be confused and we can use that to get away."

"And your idea to get away is..."

"We do what they did. Run at the window and you teleport us outside where I'll fly us away. They'll never be able to keep up with me. Then we go back to Canterlot and get Celestia to send in the army. There is definitely an entire hive here."

"And the reason you're doing whatever you're doing is?" Twilight asked, trying to pull away but Rainbow Dash kept rubbing herself against her.

"You'll have to smell like me too, at least to them."

"Fine. Can you just hurry up?" Twilight whined, her face was entirely red now and Rainbow Dash didn't look any paler.

When she was satisfied, Rainbow Dash went over to the door and looked back. "On go, drop the shield and we run. One... two... three..."

"Go!" Twilight shouted.

"I'll admit that could have gone better." Rainbow Dash said, still looking like Twilight.

"Who could have guessed they actually spit this stuff," Twilight added, referring to the massive slime pile they were stuck in. There were chunks on each of their horns and they were encased in it from the neck down.

The changelings had spit the disgusting substance at them. It was incredibly sticky at first but it had hardened within seconds into a hard shell that the changelings had carried them off in. The two were back to back, seemingly alone in a dark cavern of some sort. They hadn't seen exactly where they had been taken, but they knew it was somewhere underneath Manehattan and it was part of the changeling hive. After they had been dropped off, they had been left alone for what must have been several hours by now.

"And that it blocks magic."

"That must be what they make their armor out of or something."

"At least they were so confused by the two of us they brought us both here."

"I'd like to think it's because I'm just that naturally awesome of a power I've only known how to use for like two days, but I'm pretty sure it's just because they're so stupid," Rainbow Dash said.

The two were quiet for a while.

"Ever read a book on what to do in this sort of situation?" Rainbow Dash asked, half joking.

"What? What to do if you are trapped in a hole in the ground encased in solidified goo with no hope of rescue?"

"Well when you put it that way..."

"I have, actually," Twilight replied. "Do you know what it said?"

"Nothing useful, I'm guessing."

"It went something like 'Consider how lucky you are that life has been good to you so far. Or, alternatively, if life hasn't been good to you, which is more likely given your current situation, consider how lucky you are that it won't be troubling you much longer.' It also had an entire chapter on towels."

"Terrific."


	5. Chapter 5

Forever a Changeling

by Scootaloo-009, a.k.a. Mechsrule1

My Little Pony and related names, images, and scenarios are property of Hasbro Inc.

Chapter 5

"Let's go over what we know so far," Shining Armor said to Spike. They had left the guard regimen outside so they wouldn't disturb anything. Princess Celestia had sent them out first thing when she heard Twilight had gone missing as well, and had sent a whole complement of soldiers to make sure nopony else went missing.

"So, at about three they arrived at the hotel and got their room. Two hours later they were demanding to get into some unicorn club. Two hours after that they were seen leaving the club with a third pony. After that they vanished. There is no trace of them in the room. Their stuff is all gone, and no pony saw them leave," Spike read a list he had written earlier.

"Not much to go on," Shining Armor commented as he walked about the now empty suite. "Twili, where are you?"

"Hey, you're awake," Rainbow Dash said.

"Huh?" Twilight mumbled, still waking up. She noticed Rainbow Dash was using her voice, so it sounded so bizarre, like she was talking with herself. "How did you know?"

"I've been practicing my pony sense. Your emotions changed and I just guessed," Rainbow Dash answered, not mentioning the three other times she had said something and had been wrong.

"Oh? What can you tell?"

"Next to nothing," Rainbow Dash replied. "I'm pretty sure the only way to work out what means what emotion is trial and error. It's really, really hard to describe, but I can sort of tell where you are and when your feelings change, I just can't tell what they actually are yet. I did learn one or two useful things about this place."

"Yes?"

"First, I found the other unicorn. He's about ten or twenty feet away from us, on your left. I'm not getting much from him though."

"Is he asleep or... dead?"

"He's obviously not dead, and from what I just learned, being asleep doesn't make you go any quieter."

"Er, what?"

"Again, it's hard to explain. Anyway, I think he's just really, really weak. If he's down here much longer he will die."

"Anything else?'

"No, or rather, that is something," Rainbow Dash said. "I can't really tell what my range is but he and you are the only two I can sense. I'm pretty sure I can sense things farther away than that, so we're definitely deep underground."

"We already knew that."

"Still, think about what it means. I can sense anything with emotion. Either we are alone or I just can't sense them."

"I'm not sure I follow."

"If I can't sense them-" Rainbow Dash stopped talking. She'd heard the buzzing of wings nearby.

Through the pitch black, a purple glow seemed to be drawing closer. Soon they could see it was one of the changelings from the hive that had foalnapped glow was emanating from a similarly hued flame around its horn. The changeling increased its intensity when it landed, allowing Rainbow Dash and Twilight to actually see their surroundings somewhat, though they had already accurately guessed at what they would be. It told them that the lump of purple goop was now sitting at the bottom of a stone cavern. Beyond that was an empty black void.

The changeling was carrying two carrots. It looked at them and cocked its head to one side. "Who is the pony?" it asked.

"We're not telling," Rainbow Dash said in Twilight's voice.

"You'll have to figure it out on your own," Twilight said sternly.

"Fine. Share the food." The changeling walked over and roughly stuffed one carrot into each their mouths, then flew off again, leaving them in the dark.

Hungry, Twilight ate hers quickly but carefully so she wouldn't drop it. Rainbow Dash twisted her neck around as much as she could. "Heeh" she mumbled.

"Huh?"

"Ake iht"

"Oh," Twilight said. She turned about until she found the other carrot and took it. She quickly devoured that one too. "Thanks."

"You need it more than me," Rainbow Dash said.

"So how are you doing?"

"Okay," Rainbow Dash lied. She was starving, this far away from other ponies. Twilight's presence was surely helping but she'd be in serious trouble if they didn't find a way out of there soon. "That was rather interesting, though. I can sense changelings but only when they are feeling something."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, I got a few blips from that one but most of the time it was like he wasn't even there."

"Huh."

"How long do you think it will take them to find us? I figure we'll be lucky if there is any flesh left on our bones by then."

"I'm sure Princess Celestia is doing everything in her power to find us and we'll be rescued in no time."

"I just wish there was something. Some clue to what happened here," Shining Armor said, frustrated. He had spent the last hour searching the room several times over but hadn't found anything.

"We don't even know if they were here or not when they went missing," Spike said. "They might have gone out without anypony seeing and just haven't come back yet because they're having so much fun."

"Then why are their things not here?"

"Right. I guess I'm just scared. What... what if we can't find them?"

"I know I'll find them, even if I have to turn this whole city upside down. I-" Shining Armor stopped because a commotion outside the room was drawing his attention. He looked out to see an earth pony guard and a pegasus guard were both dragging a blue and green unicorn towards the door.

"We caught this one snooping around," the earth pony guard said, forcing her into the hotel room. The poor unicorn was petrified. They were dragging her simply because she seemed to have lost the ability to move her legs.

"I'll handle it," Shining Armor said, dismissing the guards with a wave of his hoof. Without their support she nearly fell over but Spike was there to hold her upright. "You're not in any trouble. We just want to know who you are why you're here is all. Everything will be okay."

"I... I just wanted to talk with the ponies in this room," the unicorn said finally. "My name is Meadow Breeze."

"You saw them?" Spike exclaimed.

"Do you know where they went? They've gone missing and we need to find them," Shining Armor explained.

"Oh... I thought you had arrested them or something when I saw all the guards."

"Why would I arrest my sister?" Shining Armor asked, almost laughing as he did so.

"Because one was a changeling," Meadow Breeze replied.

"Huh?" Shining Armor asked, alarmed.

"Yeah, we found out Rainbow Dash is a changeling. Twilight hasn't been home long enough to explain it to me but she did say she's basically a good changeling who thought she was a pony her whole life," Spike explained.

"A good changeling? I'll believe that when I see it," Shining Armor spat, causing Meadow Breeze to noticeably cringe.

"You'll have to ask Twilight when we find her. And Princess Celestia still trusts Rainbow Dash so you should too," Spike said sternly.

"Dash? Who is she again? The name is familiar."

"She's a pegasus. Blue. Rainbow mane. Was a bridesmaid at your wedding. Did the sonic rainboom."

"Now I remember."

"But you saw them. Did they do anything strange?" Spike asked Meadow Breeze.

"Would everything count? They asked me all these strange questions. I got scared and kind of... teleported away. I decided to come back today but those mean ponies grabbed me before I could go back downstairs."

"Is there anything you can tell us? Anything at all? Does anything in this room look off to you?" Shining Armor asked in rapid succession. "The slightest thing might be what we need to find them."

Meadow Breeze looked around politely. She barely remembered anything. She'd been far too terrified at the time. It was mostly a blur. "I don't... wait..." She sniffed the air. "It didn't smell like this last night."

Spike and Shining Armor both inhaled as well.

"I don't smell anything, do you?" Spike asked.

Shining Armor shook his head. "Something only you can smell? What could that be?"

"It's... changeling pheromone," Meadow Breeze said quietly. "Not many ponies can smell it."

"Well Rainbow Dash was here," Spike said. "I might be her you're smelling."

"It's not her," Meadow Breeze replied. "This smells different. Way different. Its really strong too."

"This means that changelings are responsible!" Shinging Armor declared. "And you can track them!"

"How? It doesn't smell like this anywhere else in the hotel that I'm aware of," Meadow Breeze explained. "It's too windy outside, I think."

"Are you sure? You just might not have noticed it," Spike suggested.

"This is really strong. I would have noticed it sooner."

"Still, this is a lead. Would you please assist us in finding my missing sister and her friend?" Shining Armor asked.

"Of course I will. I really need to talk with them."

"About what?" Spike asked bluntly.

"I just... well... it's about... it's complicated," Meadow Breeze finally said.

"Something's been bothering me," Rainbow Dash said suddenly, breaking the past hour of silence.

"Oh?"

"Meadow Breeze said she nearly died as a foal. That's really been bugging me."

Twilight was really interested now. "Did you have a similar experience?"

"You could say that."

"Do you want to share it?"

"I might as well, seeing as we're probably not going to make it out of here. At least one of you girls should know my story. I didn't die, or even nearly die, it was more, if I had been in the place I was supposed to be... well...

"It all started in some village whose name I can't remember now where I was born. My dad was a former earth pony racer named Spectrum Charge and my mom was a farmer called Posey. You can probably guess from that, that I took after my dad a lot. They were really surprised, I was the first pegasus in the whole family."

"As soon as I could fly, I didn't ever want to stop. Mom would say she had to practically strap me down to get me to go to bed. Every day I was out flying. But one day there was this big storm. We didn't have weather ponies out there so it was kind of like the Everfree Forest. When I say bad, I mean a hundred times worse than the worst storm we've ever had in Ponyville.

"I was out flying when it happened. I tried to fly home but the wind knocked me off course. I couldn't figure out where I was after that so I hid somewhere and waited for it to pass. That part's still a total blur. I must have fallen asleep at some point because the next thing I knew it was the next morning and all the clouds were gone.

"Some weather ponies had been sent from Cloudsdale to help with the clean up. They saw me flying and helped me find my way home. When I got there..." Rainbow Dash stopped talking. Her face was soaked with tears and her words were almost incomprehensible.

"It's okay, Rainbow Dash," Twilight said. She leaned back and pressed her head against Rainbow Dash's. She was unable to do anything else, but she desperately wanted to comfort her friend with an embrace.

After a few minutes, Rainbow Dash had calmed down enough to continue. "When... when I got home, I saw that the roof had fallen in. With my parents inside."

"I'm so sorry," Twilight said softly. "How old were you?"

"It was about fifteen years ago so... about one. I think, I'm not really sure what my birthday is. I've always used the day I lost my parents. I was too young to remember it, if I ever knew it. I could always try and find my birth certificate but 'things' got in the way."

"That's awful."

"I was really lucky. One of the pegasi who found me, his... brother? Well one of his relatives, was the dean at the Cloudsdale Flight School. He was able to get me early admittance and since it was a boarding school, it meant a place to live. I stayed there for a while but dropped out. I moved to Ponyville and became a weather pony. You know the rest."

"Is... is that why you didn't want me seeing your memories?"

"I have enough nightmares about it."

"Well I don't think I need to see them now. You miss them too much for the memories to be fake."

"It could all be a lie though. You said it yourself, memories can be erased or faked."

"You can fake a memory but you can't fake feelings. I think the most likely scenario is they found you as a newborn, either looking like you normally do, or you shapeshifted into it later, and they raised you as their own."

"I just wish I could know for sure."

"How come you never told us before?" Twilight asked.

Rainbow Dash was quiet for a long time. Twilight wondered if she had offended her or something but she finally spoke. "Because I don't like thinking about it. Because every time I told somepony it ended badly for me. Most either babied me or teased me. Gilda was the first who didn't seem to care and that was perfect for me. I just didn't feel like telling you. Fluttershy knows too, but that's because the jerks at school wouldn't shut up about it."

"I won't tell the other girls if you don't want me to."

"Thanks," Rainbow Dash said, half sighing it.

"Since we're sharing," Twilight said shrewdly. "Do you want to know why I erased my own memory?"

"I thought you said you didn't know why."

"I may have lied a bit."

Rainbow Dash chuckled. "So why did you?"

"It was right after my brother was married. I went to congratulate them one more time before we went home. I... kind of walked in on them... enjoying each other's company... "

"Twilight, you dork!"

"I don't think they saw me. The first thing I did was run to the Canterlot library, look up a memory spell and cast it on myself."

"So how do you know what happened?"

"I wrote myself a note so I wouldn't make the same mistake again. I basically told myself not to see Shining Armor and Cadance because they are doing things and that I had erased my memory of the event."

"Wow, Twilight, that is so something you would do."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Oh, you know."

"Hey, Sweetie Belle, what's wrong?" Scootaloo asked. The unicorn crusader had been quietly staring off into space all day long.

"Huh? Oh, sorry, I've just been thinking," Sweetie Belle said, momentarily snapping out of it. "Scoots, I think Rainbow Dash really is a changeling."

"Not this again," Scootaloo groaned.

"Ah told you Ah heard what Ah heard," Apple Bloom said fiercely.

"And what exactly did you see or hear that convinced you? Did you actually hear or see her say it?" Scootaloo asked, still not believing a word of it.

"Okay, so, Spike's been staying with me and Rarity for the past couple days. This morning he got a letter saying Twilight and Rainbow Dash had gone missing in Manehatten. Rarity made me leave the room but I listened from the door:

 _"Oh man, what could have happened?" Spike said, sounding very worried._

 _"What were they even doing there? I thought they were in Los Pegasus," Rarity replied._

 _"Didn't I tell you? Twilight said another unicorn had gone missing there while looking for changelings so they're going to try and find him," Spike explained._

 _"You don't suppose... Rainbow Dash is behind this?"_

 _"Why would she do that? She's a good changeling."_

 _"I'm aware of that, Spike, but we know very little about them. What if a queen ordered her to do it? Would she even be able to say no?"_

 _"Or she had to so they would both stay alive. I can see that."_

 _"Oh I do hope they are both okay," Rarity said._

 _"I'll let you girls know as soon as I know."_

 _"What?"_

 _"Princess Celestia is sending me to Manehatten to look for them."_

 _"Not my Spikie! She can't be serious, sending a little baby dragon to find his big sister after what's happened to the others!"_

 _"I'll be okay!" Spike said, sounding like he was struggling to move something or squeeze through a tight area. "She's sending Twilight's brother and a whole platoon of guards with me. We'll find them in no time."_

"I stopped listening after that and went upstairs to get ready," Sweetie Belle finished. "Now we have Rarity, Applejack, and Spike, all calling her a changeling."

"I still won't believe it until I hear it from her," Scootaloo said defiantly.

"Yer more stubborn than mah sis when somepony questions her work ethic!" Apple Bloom declared.

"I just want absolute proof is all. Is that too much to ask?" Scootaloo replied.

"So ask her!" Sweetie Belle said.

"I will!"

"Fine!"

"Fine!"

"Girls, quiet down!" Ms. Cheerilee called from the front of the class.

"Sorry, Ms. Cheerilee," they said together.

"Rainbow Dash, come home," Scootaloo whispered to herself before returning to diligently not taking notes.

"We've got to figure a way out of here," Twilight declared.

"I'm all ears for suggestions," Rainbow Dash replied.

"Um... well this goo isn't so sticky any more, just hard. Do you think you could make yourself bald and hornless? It should slide right off then."

"And what exactly would that accomplish?" Rainbow Dash asked irately.

"You would be able to use magic then."

"I can't use magic!"

Twilight snorted loudly. "Rainbow, you can. You and I both saw Meadow Breeze teleport, and you yourself used it before to stop me from seeing your memories."

"But that was an accident. I definitely wasn't trying to use magic. What would it do anyway? This stuff is magic proof."

"Since they spit it up, it's likely highly soluble in water," Twilight explained. "You could conjure some water to free us. Or at least my horn so I could help."

"Twilight, how long did it take you to learn that spell?" Rainbow Dash asked in a patronizing tone.

"It only took me a few minutes to learn how to conjure water, though I did already know how to conjure other things," Twilight replied in an annoyed tone.

"And how long did that take?"

"Umm... it was back when I was living in Canterlot, so with the Princess's help, about two days to get it totally right, though I could actually get it to work after a few hours."

"And multiply that by like four for me since you can't even show me how to do it, then add about a million more hours because I don't know the first thing about magic."

"That's my only idea at the moment. Do you have a better one?" Twilight asked snidely.

"Hmmm," Rainbow Dash hummed. "You said this stuff dissolves in water?"

"It is highly likely, yes."

"Can't we just lick it away then?"

"Eww! They basically puked this stuff up, and you want to lick it? Anyway, it would take a while even if we did. They would certainly notice before we could get totally free."

"What if we got your horn free? Could you summon enough water to get us out then?"

"And how are we supposed to do that? We're back to back and can't move."

"Oh just tilt your head back. I'm going to see just how far I can push my shapeshifting."

"Now there's an idea! How about you get so big you can break us out!"

"I can't. Changing size is really hard, and I might not be able to get back to my normal size, or so I've been told, and I can't get bigger than I am right now. Are you doing it yet?"

"I'm leaning back, but what is this going to accomplish?" Twilight asked. She was answered by a burst of blue light from behind her, followed by something nosing at the back of her head. "What are you doing?"

"What do you think? I'm going to try and pry the gunk off your horn."

"Be careful!" Twilight whined.

"I'm not going to break your horn. And even if I do, it'll grow back."

"And I won't be able to cast magic until it does."

"I'll be gentle." Rainbow Dash finally located Twilight's horn in the black void and gave the goo a tentative taste. "Hey! This stuff tastes pretty good!"

"Eww!"

"No, really! It's like a lollipop, though I can't figure out what flavor."

"Spit?"

"It's not like anything I've had before. Just stay still and I'll have you free in no time."

"This isn't getting us anywhere," Shining Armor groaned. They had spent all day walking around the city with Meadow Breeze, hoping she would smell the changelings but so far she hadn't caught a whiff. They were currently by the wharf, though it was fairly empty because most of the dock workers had gone home. They would have to turn in soon too; the sun was about to set.

"This is our only lead. It has to work!" Spike said.

"Hmmm," Meadow Breeze said suddenly. Both of the boys turned and stared at her expectantly. "I think..." She began walking off in one direction, towards the edge of the wharf.

"Do you have something?" Shining Armor asked.

"Maybe..." Meadow Breeze found a cement staircase that took them down closer to the water. She went down it and kept walking.

"Could they be underwater?" Spike asked.

Meadow Breeze didn't reply but kept walking along the narrow walkway. They walked for some distance before coming to a massive drainage pipe sticking out of the cement wall of the wharf.

"They're in here," Meadow Breeze declared.

"There? Are you sure? Could you be smelling something else?" Shining Armor asked.

Meadow Breeze shook her head. "I'm sure of it. I could smell it earlier and its strongest in here."

"And Rainbow Dash?"

Again, she shook her head. "Its too overwhelming. I can't smell anything else," she said, hoof over her nose. "They probably come in and out of here, or maybe another entrance. Either way, they have to be in here."

"This makes sense, have the hive right under the city. Guards, cockatrice formation," Shining Armor ordered. The guards complied, forming a circle around Spike, Shining Armor, and Meadow Breeze, each facing in such a way that each pony was being watched by another.

"I think I'll go back to the hotel and wait," Meadow Breeze said.

"I can't allow that," Shining Armor replied sharply. Meadow Breeze began charging a teleport spell. "If you go back, I can't guarantee your safety. Given that two court mages have already been taken, you are safer with us than anywhere else in this city," he explained.

"Okay..."

Slowly they walked into the drain pipe and into the murky wet underground of Manehatten.


	6. Chapter 6

Forever a Changeling

by Scootaloo-009, a.k.a. Mechsrule1

My Little Pony and related names, images, and scenarios are property of Hasbro Inc.

Chapter 6

"Rrrgh. Mmmmph," Twilight mumbled.

"Geeze, Twi, I didn't know unicorns were so sensitive there," Rainbow Dash, taking a brief pause to make a joke.

"Huh? What? No!" Twilight sputtered. "I'm just trying to use magic is all."

"Well I think I should be almost done," Rainbow Dash replied. She gave the tasty substance a few more licks and was rewarded with a shower of sparks that lit up the inky blackness. "That was all it took, huh?"

"Just be quiet!" Twilight snapped.

Rainbow Dash then received a splash of cold water, dumped all over her. "Brrrrr!"

"I thought you could use a little cooling off," Twilight said in a mocking tone. She repeated the spell several more times. Each rush of water washing away the goo, allowing them to move finally.

"That is so much better," Rainbow Dash cooed, stretching her back like she still had wings.

Twilight pulled her legs free and stood up. She'd had enough of the darkness and cast a minor light spell, summoning a tiny orb of dim light that floated slightly in front of her. "Gah!"

"What?"

"Put my-your head back on right!" Twilight shouted, covering her eyes.

"Oops," Rainbow Dash said. She was still Twilight's clone, only her head was on completely backwards. A burst of blue fixed that. "We're still not safe. They could come back at any moment and we don't stand a chance at fighting them."

"Then lets go," Twilight said.

"Wait," Rainbow Dash said. "We don't want to forget him."

She led Twilight over to where the other unicorn was behind held. The scrawny white stallion was trapped similar to how they had been, but there was a large amount of uneaten food on the ground. Twilight summoned some more water and quickly freed the last captive. Rainbow Dash walked over and easily lifted the unconscious pony onto her back.

"Do you know how we can get out?" Twilight asked.

"Hmm," Rainbow Dash said. She stood very still for a while. Finally she pointed in one direction. "That way, I think."

"How can you tell?"

"There's a very slight breeze coming from that direction."

"Really? I can't feel anything."

"Weather ponies have to be extra sensitive to that sort of thing."

Twilight just nodded and the two began walking off in the direction she had pointed.

Great. A crossroad. Which way?"" Shining Armor groaned. They were still in the water tunnel but the group had to stop. The tunnel they were in was crossed with another. "Meadow Breeze?"

"Huh? Oh you were asking me?" Meadow Breeze asked. "I'm sorry it all reeks down here. I can't tell."

"We'll have to guess then," Shining Armor said.

*Burb*

"Spike?" he asked.

"It's a letter from the Princess asking about our progress. How should I reply?" Spike asked, pulling out a blank scroll and quill.

"Tell her we're following a lead. Twilight and Rainbow Dash were definitely abducted by changelings. No direct enemy contact yet," Shining Armor dictated. Spike wrote it out and lit the scroll on fire. It turned into a cloud of green specs and flew away back through the tunnel they had come from.

"What was that?" Meadow Breeze asked.

"I send letters to ponies that way," Spike explained.

"Can... can you send them to anypony?"

"Just friends I think. I'm still learning what I can and can't do. Wait... hey, that's it!"

"What's it?" Shining Armor asked.

"Why didn't I think of it sooner? I can send a letter to Twilight and we can follow it!" Spike said excitedly. He pulled out another scroll, scribbled something on it, and sent it. The wisp went down the right tunnel.

"We can't exactly follow it but at least we know where to go," Shining Armor said, leading the group after the letter.

"Oh!" Twilight said. A scroll had suddenly appeared in front of her and landed on the ground. She picked it up with her magic and unrolled it. It had a short message on it.

 _"We are coming to save you._

 _-Spike and Shining Armor._

"She sent my brother to save us?" Twilight said out loud.

"I'd have thought he'd never want to see another changeling again," Rainbow Dash said.

"That's probably why the Princess sent him."

"Then I should not shapeshift until we explain things."

"That would be a good- woah!" Twilight said, scooting backwards quickly. Rainbow Dash looked and saw they were standing at the edge of a chasm. "I'll give us some more light so we can see."

"Don't! They'll see too! I'll fly us across." Rainbow Dash shrugged off the unicorn. She brought her wings back but they matched her current coat, making Twilight laugh a bit.

"So that's what I would look like as a princess." Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes and instead took to the air, hovering over Twilight. She put her forelegs under Twilight's.

"Just grab him, okay?"

Twilight mimicked Rainbow Dash and grabbed the other unicorn. Rainbow Dash then lifted her up. Her legs strained with the weight of the second pony.

"Go quick! I can't carry him for long!" Twilight groaned.

"She said to the pony carrying both of them," Rainbow Dash retorted. She quickly began flying them over the open spot to the other side. She made sure to follow the breeze she had felt. The path took her in an upwards direction. It was very disconcerting. She couldn't see anything but blackness. She wasn't even sure if she was even moving.

 _Just as I expected. Keep coming._

Soon enough the chasm ended and they found another piece of land. Twilight's legs were burning by the time they landed. She rubbed them while Rainbow Dash once again shouldered the third pony.

"These caves are really nice," Rainbow Dash commented.

"They're hoof carved," Twilight replied. "This place must be really old."

"Yeah. I wonder how long they've been here."

"Get lost kid."

"I just want to know if Rainbow Dash came back yet!" Scootaloo whined.

The train station pony groaned again. "I don't stare at every pony on every train that comes in here."

"But she's very noticeable!"

"Isn't she a pegasus? Maybe she flew into town or something."

"Well... yeah... shut up!" Scootaloo stormed off. She left the platform and walked through Ponyville. She never wanted to see Rainbow Dash more. She barely paid attention to the throngs of ponies around her.

"Bye, mommy," said a nearby filly.

"Bye, Muffin. I'll see you after my second mail shift."

"I need to figure out a way to be there when Rainbow Dash comes home. I can't fly up there. I need somepony to fly me up there. But they won't do it if they know why I'm doing it..."

As they moved, Rainbow Dash kept her senses active. She wanted to know as soon as possible when they were near the surface.

"Wait," she said suddenly.

"What?" Twilight asked.

"Can you take him? He's starting to get heavy," Rainbow Dash said. Twilight nodded. She moved closer. When they were close, Rainbow Dash whispered in her ear. "Be careful. There's something up ahead."

"Like what?"

"I'm not sure. I got a signal a second ago but it's gone. They might be repressing their emotions."

"That means they're expecting us," Twilight whispered.

"I have since I discovered you were free."

Twilight and Rainbow Dash jumped in fright as a bright light illuminated the area around them. Sitting a few feet away was a giant queen changeling with a purple shell and a pale red mane.

"Uhh... run?" Rainbow Dash suggested.

"I wouldn't advise that. My guards will capture you in seconds," the queen said. "I see you have freed that first pony. Maybe you can talk some sense into him and get him to eat again."

"What?" Twilight asked.

"I don't want him to die but he refuses to eat."

"You... you actually care about his safety?" Rainbow Dash asked, confused. "But you attacked us! Foalnapped us!"

"I'm very sorry about that but I have to do what I have to to protect my hive. I'm sure as a queen, you feel much the same."

"I'm not a queen," Rainbow Dash said. Then she slapped herself in the face.

"Then you are the most independent drone I've met. I am Queen Capas and this has been the home of my hive for as long as this city has been around."

"And since I'm invading your territory, you're going to kill me, right?"

"Don't concern yourself. I was going to send some of my drones to let you go but you went ahead and did it yourselves."

"You were going to let us go?" Twilight asked.

"It all started with that idiot Chrysalis!" Queen Capas roared. "What was she thinking, attacking? We survive by being subtle. By remaining in the shadows and out of the minds of most ponies. But no, she had to go and try and take over a whole city. Then what was she going to do? The rest of Equestria would fight them off if Canterlot couldn't. She is an idiot who ruined everything for all of us!

Then he showed up. Trying to root out my little changelings. I... I panicked and had him brought down here. I thought I could reason with him. But he stopped eating, then you two showed up, and now the royal guards are here. It's over. And all because of that one stupid queen."

"I knew my brother and assistant were here, but the guards too?" Twilight exclaimed.

"At least twenty, with more to come, I'm sure."

"You're going to use us as a bargaining chip," Rainbow Dash accused.

"If I left you down here, you would likely perish before they found you. We know these caves by heart but we won't be here to help them find you."

"Huh?" Twilight uttered.

"We're leaving. Fighting Canterlot would be a waste of life on both sides and would only result in my loss. We will find a new home rather than fight," Queen Capas explained.

"No," Rainbow Dash declared. "You don't have to leave."

"Rainbow, they kind of have to," Twilight said.

"No, they don't. Right now the only ponies who know there are actually changelings down here are us and him. If we stop your brother before he gets down here, we can just say we got lost in the city."

"That would be a huge lie!"

"Sometimes you have to lie to protect the good in the world," Rainbow Dash replied. "Look at this place. Like she said, it's as old as the city. They've found a way to live in peace. The pony's will never accept them being here, but if they don't know, they can stay."

"We have always been careful. My drones go up into the city to collect the ambient emotions the citizens give off. That way we don't end up hurting anypony, physically or emotionally," Queen Capas added.

"And they're kind of like its protectors. As long as they're here, they can stop other hives from moving in. Another hive might not care about the safety of the city but they do," Rainbow Dash finished.

"They still attacked us."

"But they didn't hurt us," Rainbow Dash countered. "They could have easily killed us, but they didn't. Twi, think of how many ponies could get hurt if we don't hide the fact they're here."

"I don't like the idea of lying to everypony. Even Celestia can't know. But I do agree. It's the right thing to do," Twilight said after thinking for a moment. "What do we do about him?"

"Erase his memory, duh," Rainbow Dash said.

"I'd have to replace it, not just erase. It would be too easy to undo my spell and having that big of a blackout would be a red flag."

"Just make him think he went to a rave and passed out. We can say we found him in a gutter."

"That might not be possible," Twilight said sheepishly. "To make a convincing false memory it has to be something you've experienced yourself, or at least know well enough. I've never been to a rave."

"A bar then."

"I've never been to a bar either."

"A party with beer?"

Twilight just shook her head.

"Have you at least gotten drunk once?"

"Is Sweet Apple Cider alcoholic?"

"Twilight, we let fillies drink it, of course it's not."

"Then no."

"We're going to change that when we get back to Ponyville. For now... can you use me?"

"If you're sure... I'd rather not be blasted again."

"My birthday, three years ago. You'll have to change the setting and perspective, but that shouldn't be too hard, right?"

"I'll be careful. Let me know if I go too far and I'll stop." Twilight grabbed Rainbow Dash's head and gazed into her eyes. Rainbow Dash looked back, unable to look away. Suddenly she was flashing through her memories.

The experience was similar to how it had been the last time. It seemed slower this time, like Twilight was nervous, but that was obvious enough.

"You can go faster," Rainbow Dash said, unsure if she could hear her. "You need to go three years back."

The tape of her life continued to rewind itself. In a matter of seconds, two years had zipped by and now the images were slowing down as Twilight pinpointed the right memory.

Rainbow Dash was sitting on a barstool, listening to some lame bad playing in the background. In front of her was a trio of empty glasses, soon to be joined by the fourth in her hoof right now.

"Dash, are you going to sit here all night or are you going to party?"

Rainbow Dash looked to the side and saw her beaked best friend looking at her.

"You know me. I party the rest of the year, but this day I reserve for just getting drunk."

Gilda rolled her eyes and climbed onto the stool next to her. "Dash, you've got to get over it. You do this every year and it's not cool."

"Like you have any idea what it's like," Rainbow Dash muttered into her drink before taking a swig.

Gilda grabbed her by the shoulder and forced Rainbow Dash to look her in the eyes. "I should beat you for saying something so stupid. You know I lost my little brother this year! It was his first hunting trip and he got himself gored by a wild boar right in front of me. Four years ago, my uncle was killed by a dragon. I miss them alot but you don't see me replacing them with cheap cider."

"At least you still have family," Rainbow Dash growled back, swatting the talon away.

"How about instead of getting wasted, you do something productive. You should do something to remember them other than drinking half the cider in Cloudsdale."

"Yeah I could become a carpenter and make houses that don't fall in on themselves!" Rainbow Dash shouted before finishing the glass and waving for another.

"You're a pegasus, downy brain. Try being a weather pony."

Rainbow Dash actually nodded. "That's not a bad idea. You'll have to remind me when I'm sober."

"If you're going to waste the whole night in a bar, you should at least have some fun and not waste all your bits. Let's go hit the dance floor, find a couple of gullible colts and get them to buy us drinks."

"Ditch them, find some more, repeat," Rainbow Dash agreed, smiling.

"That's my Dash!" Gilda cheered.

"Just a sec," Rainbow Dash said, grabbing her fresh drink. She held it and became very serious. "To you guys. If you're looking down on me, you might want to look away for the next few hours." Then she chugged the cider and joined Gilda.

The real world returned and Rainbow Dash saw Twilight holding the other unicorn's head. His eyes were open but they were dull and stared straight ahead. Her horn was glowing as she gave him some false memories.

"Hey, do you have our stuff?" Rainbow Dash asked the queen.

"It's around somewhere. You," she said, pointing into the darkness. "Go get the belongings of these three and bring it here. If you can't carry it all, get another drone." The drone just flew off without any acknowledgement of understanding.

"Hey, I was wondering, is all changeling goo magic proof?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Changeling goo?"

"That stuff we were stuck in."

"That's not goo, that's solidified emotion."

"No wonder it was so tasty," Rainbow Dash interrupted. "Do all emotions work?"

"There is no functional difference between what emotion is used and the result. We use frustration and related feelings for ours so the trapped being produces more, though we rarely ever have to use it. Most hives can make it, but ours includes special enzymes that repel magic. It's our hive's special ability. That and we've developed excellent night vision down here."

"I'm guessing all hives have a special ability then."

"As far as I know. I'm not sure what they all are, though, they tend to be secretive. I know Chrysalis's changelings can create a protective barrier of magic, Ovi's can read the deep desires of ponies, Sereat's hive can imitate pony like creatures like mules, zebras, and hippogriffs, and Pravore drones can swallow ponies whole to use as a portable food source. Those are the only ones I know off hand. You don't have to share yours if you do not wish to."

"I don't have any idea what it is," Rainbow Dash replied, shrugging.

"Let the rest of your hive know they may use these tunnels as a safe house if they need to," Queen Capas said.

"They won't need it. I have no idea where my hive is, if it even still exists."

"I'm so sorry."

Rainbow Dash looked over at Twilight, who was releasing the other unicorn. "I'm fine with my friends. They're so awesome I should be too fat to walk."

"He thinks he met a nice filly at a bar, she just used him and left him in an alley. He tried to go after her and fell down a storm drain and blacked out. It's foggy which will be ideal to convince him," Twilight said, joining them. On cue, two changelings arrived, carrying their belongings.

"Then lets go meet your brother before he stumbles in here."

"I am very grateful," Queen Capas said. "Because of you, we can keep our home. If there is anything I can do for you in return, let me know."

"Just don't make me regret lying to Princess Celestia," Twilight said.

"You, carry her. You, carry him," Queen Capas ordered. Two changelings flew over and picked up Twilight and the other unicorn. Rainbow Dash shifted into her normal form. "Take them to the south tunnel. And quickly."

"And if you hear any word about my hive, let me know. I live over Ponyville," Rainbow Dash said before following the four drones and two ponies.


	7. Chapter 7

"Then you pour the mix into the crust," Pinkie said, explaining her actions. "Put it in the oven for an hour and what do you get?"

"Pie!" Pumpkin Cake cheered.

"That's right!" Pinkie cheered back, closing the oven door. She turned around and was met by a scroll appearing out of thin air and falling to the floor. She picked it up and read it. "Hey, my missing friends have been found! I didn't even know they were missing! How's that for fast work? You know what this calls for?"

"Party!" Pumpkin Cake giggled.

"You're so smart, Pumpkin."

Minutes earlier

Shining Armor, Spike, Meadow Breeze, and the platoon of guards slowly made their way through the dark, wet tunnel. Their magically conjured lights did little to brighten the oppressive darkness. Ahead another light source came into view around a corner.

"All hold!" Shining Armor ordered.

Within the other glow, two heavily laden ponies came into view.

"Twilight!" Spike cheered. He ran forward but Shining Armor grabbed his tail and pulled him back.

"Shining! Spike!" Twilight said. She sped up, but couldn't go very fast, she was weighed down with numerous bags. Behind her was Rainbow Dash carrying another pony.

"Stay where you are!" Shining Armor shouted before Twilight could get close. He cast a spell that sent a wave of energy over Twilight and Rainbow Dash.

Rainbow Dash felt her entire body tingle. Her head ached and throbbed. Immediately she was reminded of the day she had found out she was a changeling. The feeling was not unlike Twilight's spell. And just like that, it was over. Her head was still sore, and as she looked at herself, she discovered she had reverted to her changeling form.

"What the heck!" she shouted. She went to turn back but when she did so, she just got some tiny blue flames to appear and her body stayed black. "What did you do to me!"

"It's a spell I developed," Shining Armor said snidely. "It forces changelings to drop their disguise and shorts out their powers for a few minutes."

"I created a variant of it," Twilight told Shining Armor. "It affects a wider area and knocks them out but it takes a lot more magic."

"And why exactly did you do this?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"We're on the trail of some changelings. This stops them from hiding, and disrupts any hypnosis they might be using. And it looks like we found one," Shining Armor said, raising his magic again.

Twilight stepped between the two of them. "Shining, she's not a threat."

"And how do you know?"

"I was at your wedding and kicked changeling carapace!" Rainbow Dash shouted.

"I still don't trust you. Twilight, I'm glad you're safe," Shining Armor said. "How did you escape from the other changelings?"

"What other changelings?" Rainbow Dash asked innocently.

"You were foalnapped, weren't you?" Spike asked.

"I smelled changelings in you room," Meadow Breeze said.

"Meadow? What are you doing here?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"I needed to talk with you. But what about the smell? I can smell it here, too."

"You must be smelling something else. There aren't any changelings in this city," Twilight said.

"Except it," Shining Armor snapped.

"Back off. She's not evil!" Twilight said, holding her hoof up between Rainbow Dash and Shining Armor.

"Moving on," Shining Armor said through gritted teeth. "What do you mean, there are no changelings? You three were all taken out the hotel!"

"No, we went exploring for him. We found him down here and we've been finding our way out since," Twilight lied.

"He needs medical attention. I'm sure once he is better he can tell us how he ended up here," Rainbow Dash said.

"Can we just get above ground?" Twilight grumbled.

"I'm not going out like this," Rainbow Dash countered.

"That's not our problem," Shining Armor said.

"Actually it is, because you shorted out my powers!"

"I really have to go!" Twilight whined.

"We're in a sewer, Twi. Just go anywhere," Rainbow Dash said.

"It's gross down here!"

"You sound like Rarity."

"I'm not going down here," Twilight said, very finaly.

"Fine. You go on ahead. I'll catch up once I can be me again."

"You're how you are supposed to be," Shining Armor said.

Rainbow Dash snarled. "This is what I am, not who I am!"

"Shut it, you two!" Spike shouted. "We have a hurt pony and we need to tell Princess Celestia what happened. How about we talk about this on the way home?"

"I will need to make my report in pony," Twilight said.

"You can take the train, I'll just fly home," Rainbow Dash suggested.

"I don't want to leave you here," Twilight protested.

"I'll be fine. I can fly faster than any train," Rainbow Dash said. "Go on. Besides, Meadow Breeze wanted to talk with me about something."

"I don't think you should be allowed to go alone," Shining Armor said.

"I'll go with her," Spike said. "I'm a lot lighter than a pony, so she could carry me, right?"

"Yeah. I could do that," Rainbow Dash agreed. "I'm still not leaving until I can use my powers again, but I can easily fly with Spike."

"I'd rather a guard went with you," Shining Armor replied.

"None of them are pegasi and there is no way I'm letting one of them lay on my back for hours."

"Shining, it will be fine. We need to get going," Twilight urged.

Shining Armor sighed. "Fine. Iron, take the unconscious pony. Pole, take the bags." Two guards came over and Rainbow Dash helped transfer the sleeping unicorn over. The other relieved Twilight of her burden. "The exit is this way."

"I'll take that," Rainbow Dash said, grabbing her tiny saddlebags.

Shining Armor led the group back through the metal pipe and to the bay. The sun had set so the unicorn guards brightened the area with their horns.

Rainbow Dash got a few blue flames to appear, but still couldn't shapeshift. "I'll see you in Ponyville," she said as Twilight left.

"I hope this works," Twilight said, staying close to her brother as they walked off along the narrow edge above the water.

Meadow Breeze had stayed behind, awkwardly scuffing the metal pipe with her hoof.

"Spike, could you go over there for a second?" Rainbow Dash asked, waving her hoof towards the docks.

"Why?"

"Meadow Breeze and I have to talk about mare stuff."

"Why do I have to leave? What kind of mare stuff have I not already heard?" Spike complained.

"Spike, just go, okay?"

"Fine. I'll let everyone know you're okay." Spike frowned and walked off.

Rainbow Dash waited until she was sure he was out of earshot before turning to the other pony. "You said you wanted to talk with me?"

"Yes. I... I'm sorry for running away before. I was-" Meadow Breeze started to say.

"It's okay. This is all new to me too. I just found out by accident. It wasn't a very pleasant experience."

"I told my parents about what had happened, but I left out your claim I'm a changeling."

"I'm pretty sure you are."

"I'm not."

"This isn't going to get us anywhere. What were you going to tell me?"

"My parents told me this story they've never told be before. When I was sick, I got really bad. My parents had all but given up hope when a strange mare came to our house. She said she could cure me. I was at death's door and they were desperate so they let her see me. Whatever she did, worked. She didn't ask for payment either. Instead she gave my parents this," Meadow Breeze said. She pulled out a small blue box, the same color as Rainbow Dash's fire, with no discernible way to open it. "She said to give it to me when the time seemed right and I would know how to open it. But see, I've always been me, not a changeling."

"Are you going to?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"I don't want to. I'm happy. You can have it, if you want."

"You need to know incase something happens. You saw what just happened to me back there. You could be hit by a spell by accident too and there would be nopony around to teach you how to go back."

"I'll take my chances," Meadow Breeze said before leaving Rainbow Dash alone, holding the mysterious box.

"Can I come back now?" Spike called, seeing Meadow Breeze leave.

"Yeah," Rainbow Dash replied, putting the box away. Suddenly she had a great idea for a prank. She backed into the pipe and tried her shapeshifting. The headache had gone away, so this time it worked. It was harder working from memory than it was looking at the pony, but she did the best she could. She was quite satisfied when Spike was able to see her. "Hello, Spikey wikey," she said in her Rarity voice.

"Woah!" Spike gasped. "Pretty good voice, but the looks need work."

"Darn," Rainbow Dash grumbled. "I got Twilight spot on, see?" She shifted into her Twilight copy form. It was felt strange, assuming the appearance this time. Everything just fell into form with almost no thought or difficulty. Her body or magic or whatever seemed to remember what to do.

Spike eyed her carefully. "That one is pretty good. Hmm..." He slowly walked around her, looking at every detail carefully. "I can't tell the difference," he announced when he was done.

"So what did I have wrong with Rarity?"

"It was really obvious. You had her horn a quarter inch too long, it's shorter than Twilight's, not the same. Also you forgot her makeup, her mane is a few shades redder, and her coat is off white not pure white."

"Well I'm new to this," Rainbow Dash retorted.

"But you had Twilight perfect," Spike pointed out.

"But I did her before, not Rarity."

"Can you do me?"

"I can only do ponies, see?" Rainbow Dash said, shifting into her earlier dragon attempt.

"Aw..."

Rainbow Dash changed to her normal form. "Hop on. I want to see if we can get back before sunrise."

"Okay," Spike said, climbing on her back between the saddlebags. Once he was gripping her neck, she took off. She was glad to be getting away from that place. The changeling smell was awful.

"I need a train to Canterlot. How soon can you have one ready?" Shining Armor asked one of the ticket ponies at the train station.

"There's one leaving in ten minutes but it's already full," she replied.

"This is royal business. Add another car or bump somepony."

"I... hmmm. There are two storage cars you could ride in."

"Fine. Just notify the conductors."

The ticket pony disappeared into a back room.

"I'll be back in a second," Twilight said, galloping off.

"So you're a good changeling?" Spike asked as they cruised over the wilderness.

"I'm Rainbow Dash," she replied. "I'm as good as I always was."

"Twilight didn't really say what you two had done before she left again."

"We went to Los Pegasus because there's a Queen there. She taught me how to shapeshift and use my pony sense."

"Pony sense?"

"It's hard to explain but I can basically tell where ponies are and what they are feeling. I still haven't worked out how to tell what emotions are what, but it's not as hard as she made it out to sound."

"Is that just ponies too?"

"No, I can sense you, too. Anything that can feel."

"So what am I feeling now?" Spike asked.

"I told you, I can't tell emotions apart," Rainbow Dash replied.

"I'm hungry. And sleeping." Spike yawned and hung on looser. Rainbow Dash made sure to fly as level as possible from then on.

"Shining?" Twilight asked. She was very uncomfortable, wedged between some crates, but at least she was able to sit down.

"Yeah?"

"I know you hate changelings and you have every right to, but you can't take out your anger on Rainbow Dash. She isn't really one of them."

"How do you know that? She could have easily fooled us this whole time. Chrysalis did."

"I looked into her memories. I know she is our friend."

"Twili, that kind of magic is forbidden!" Shining Armor snarled.

"I was scared, okay!" Twilight shouted. "I thought something had happened to our Rainbow Dash and I had to do what I could to find her."

"Only it was her."

"She. I acted like that too. She's still a mare. She's still the element of loyalty."

The two fell silent for a while, just listening to the sound of the train rolling along the tracks.

"It does make sense to me," Shining Armor said after a while. "A changeling pretends to be a pony to get love. Makes friends that will protect it no matter what. It has a source of food and protection."

"She didn't know," Twilight said. "What we think happened is her parents found her as a newborn. Either she looked like she does now or changed later, but that seems the most likely scenario."

"How could she not have known?!"

"Until my spell shorted out her powers, she'd never shapeshifted before. Changelings can apparently eat and drink regular food. I'd need to do research to see if it can sustain them. I don't think she would agree to it."

"My sister the scientist," Shining Armor said, rolling his eyes.

"She's a good pony. Chrysalis was the exception, not the rule. Most other hives just want to live in peace."

Shining Armor sighed. "Princess Celestia is allowing it and I have to do as she says. I have to trust you but I can't. I won't do anything now, but if I catch word of anything funny going on, I will have her arrested and exiled."

"I'm sure she just wants everything to go back to the way they were."

"Here we are," Rainbow Dash announced, landing just outside Twilight's house. Spike had fallen asleep so she decided to just carry him in. The door was locked but Rainbow Dash knew where to find the spare key and she let herself in. As soon as she did, she was jumped on by four ponies, knocking her down.

"Rainbow Dash!" Fluttershy cheered.

"You're back!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed.

"We're so glad to see you!" Rarity added.

"Y'all are back, right?" Applejack asked.

"Girls! Stop crushing me! Please!" Rainbow Dash begged, trying to free herself from their group hug. They let go and Rainbow Dash collapsed. Spike had fallen off her back in the confusion but he was still asleep.

"Sorry about that," Rarity said.

"We were afraid you weren't going to come back," Fluttershy explained.

"Why wouldn't I? This is my home," Rainbow Dash replied. "Now I should go put him to bed. We were flying all night."

"All they way from Manehatten? That's quite the trip," Applejack commented.

Rainbow Dash shrugged and picked Spike back up. She carried him upstairs and put him in his bed before returning to the main room.

"So? Did you meet your queen?" Pinkie asked.

Rainbow Dash shook her head. "I think the hive is dead."

"Ah'm sorry," Applejack said.

"I'm not upset," Rainbow Dash replied. "It could have told me where I came from, but I know where I am and that's good enough."

"And you look just like your old self too," Fluttershy commented.

"Yeah. It turns out shapeshifting isn't that hard when you know how to do it."

"So what happened? We've been in the dark this whole time." Rarity asked.

"I'll tell you girls everything but not now. I'm really tired," Rainbow Dash said, yawning. "Maybe tomorrow, okay?"

"Don't you want something to eat first?" Pinkie asked.

"No thanks, that hug was enough," Rainbow Dash said, smiling widely.

 _Home_ Rainbow Dash thought as she flew closer to her cloud house. However, as she got closer, something caught her attention. Something was off. When she landed by the front door, she realized she had had her emotion sense turned on since she had left Twilight's house by mistake. What had bothered her was not that there was a signal coming from her house, she assumed Tank would have one, but that there was two signals.

"Huh," she said out loud as she went inside. She focused, trying to learn what she could about the intruder. One source of emotions was nearby and very stable. A quick look confirmed it was her pet tortoise. His feelings abruptly began changing when he noticed her. Rainbow Dash gave him a quick petting. "Who's here, guy?" she asked quietly.

He blinked and looked back.

"Hmm." The other signal was coming from upstairs and was very erratic. She quietly crept up the stairs, careful to not make any noise that might alert the other being. She was fairly certain it wasn't just some wild creature. As she got closer, she was better able to pinpoint where it was. It was in her room!

Rainbow Dash walked into her open bedroom and looked around. _Didn't I leave that closed?_ She walked over to where the source of emotions was. Whatever it was, was in her closet. In a fluid motion she wrenched the door open and a small figure tumbled out.

"Woah!" it cried, flailing its forelegs as it fell.

It was too dark to see properly so Rainbow Dash quickly turned on a light. "Scootaloo!?" Rainbow Dash shouted, recognising the orange filly.

"Huh? Whah?" Scootaloo mumbled, looking around, confused, before fixing her eyes on the older pony. "Rainbow Dash!"

"What are you doing in my house?" Rainbow Dash demanded, jabbing her hoof at her. "And how did you even get up here?"

"Oh, I just shipped myself."

"Shipped?"

"Like I hid in a box and waited for the mailmare to deliver it."

"Thats so... Hey!" Rainbow Dash shouted, mentally slapping herself. "Stop avoiding the question. What are you doing in my house?"

"I was waiting for you to come home! You've been gone for days!"

"Have you been in there this whole time? Aren't your parents worried?"

"I've only been in here a few hours," Scootaloo said, sticking her tongue out. "And my 'parents' don't care."

"Look, kid, I know you're like my number one fan, but this is just creepy. You can't break into my house just to see me!"

"Well I also had to ask you a question," Scootaloo said.

"No I will not attend your next fan club meeting," Rainbow Dash said dryly.

"I wasn't going to ask that."

"No I will not try teaching you to fly after what happened last time."

"Not that either."

"No I will not make you my sister, daughter, or mother."

"I had a new question!" Scootaloo exclaimed.

"What?" Rainbow Dash grunted.

"Are you really Rainbow Dash?"

Rainbow Dash stopped and stared at Scootaloo. "What did you just say?"

"I heard a rumor that you weren't. That you were a changeling in disguise."

 _Better play it cool. Only the girls and Celestia know for sure._ "Well they're wrong. Who told you that, anyway?"

"Apple Bloom," Scootaloo replied, feigning disinterest. "She heard it from her sister."

"That's silly," Rainbow Dash said, trying to sound convincing. "She must have misheard her or something. I'm the one and only, Rainbow Dash!"

"I also heard from Sweetie Belle that Spike got a letter the other day. Something about you and Ms. Sparkle being foalnapped by changelings, only he said something about you being one."

"Uhhh..."

"Well?" Scootaloo demanded, pressing her face against Rainbow Dash's.

"I... uhh.. you see... it was a... joke?"

"I may be a D student but I'm not stupid enough to fall for that. Why won't you just say it?"

"Fine! You want to see?" Rainbow Dash shouted. Her body burst into blue fire, causing Scootaloo to leap back in shock. Rainbow Dash had reverted to her changeling form. "Yes, okay! They're telling the truth! Are you happy now?!"

"So you are a changeling!" Scootaloo exclaimed. "But who are you?"

"I'm just a changeling who thought she was a pony," Rainbow Dash said, laying down on the cloud floor. "And now everypony knows."

"I'd better go tell everypony that the club is over," Scootaloo said sadly, dragging her hooves to the door. "We can't have a Rainbow Dash fan club if there is no Rainbow Dash any more."

"Wait," Rainbow Dash called. Scootaloo stopped and Rainbow Dash walked over. "Look, my whole life has been turned upside down for the past week, but I do know that I still am the Rainbow Dash you know. I did the sonic rainboom, I fought Nightmare Moon, Discord, and Chrysalis. I just don't know where I came from."

"I can relate," Scootaloo said. "So are you Rainbow Dash or a changeling called that?"

"I'm Rainbow Dash and I just happen to also be a changeling."

"That's good enough for me!" Scootaloo hugged her tightly, erasing any lingering hunger Rainbow Dash had.

"Come on, I'll fly you into town," Rainbow Dash offered, assuming her normal form.

"I already had a way down," Scootaloo replied, pulling out an unused mailing label.

"Come on, Squirt. You can't hang out here all night, you'll freeze, and I'm sure your parents are worried sick about you." Rainbow Dash walked over and picked up Scootaloo by the mane. She tossed the filly into the air and caught her with her back. Before Scootaloo could react, Rainbow Dash leapt out the window and into the air.

"Woah!" Scootaloo gasped.

"Where do you want me to take you?" Rainbow Dash asked as she glided over Ponyville.

"Just... just anywhere is fine."

"It's no trouble."

"Really. Anywhere. I can walk just fine."

"I'm taking you right to your front door and that is final."

Scootaloo sighed. "The Ponyville Orphanage..."

"Sure," Rainbow Dash said plainly. She veered to one side and flew down in front of the building. She lowered herself so Scootaloo could climb off.

"Go ahead. I know you want to say something," Scootaloo groaned.

"Not really. I know why you haven't told anyone. They're the same reasons I didn't."

"Whah?"

"That's what makes me so scared. I'm afraid that I replaced the pony my parents loved," Rainbow Dash admitted. She tried to dry her face with her hoof but it wasn't helping much. "I just don't want it to be a lie."

"I don't even know my parents," Scootaloo grumbled.

"Things will get better as you get older. Just give it time."

"You were wrong before," Scootaloo said.

"About what?"

"About everypony knowing you're a changeling. We've kept it between us. "

"That's a huge relief," Rainbow Dash said, sighing heavily.

"We learned our lesson about spreading rumors."

"I'll see you tomorrow, Scoots," Rainbow Dash said, spreading her wings.

"Wait," Scootaloo said. "Um... is there any way I could be a changeling too?"

Rainbow Dash looked at her, confused. "No, I'd be able to tell."

"But can I become one?"

"Why would you want to?"

"Because it has to be better than this," Scootaloo said, pointing to the orphanage.

"Well if I find a way, I'll be sure to let you know. Bye." Rainbow Dash ruffled Scootaloo's mane before taking off for home.

"The Princess will see you now," the guard said, opening the door to Princess Celestia's private chamber.

Twilight walked in slowly. It wasn't often she was invited in here, though Celestia had said she was always welcome. She found Princess Celestia idling resting on a blanket by the fireplace.

"I'm back, Princess," Twilight announced.

"I know. I have already been to see the pony you rescued. Thank you."

"It wasn't really a rescue. We just found him in one of the drainage area's under the city. Rainbow Dash was able to sense him out. If we hadn't found out what she was, we might not have found him," Twilight said, laying down nearby.

"Things always work out in the end," Princess Celestia said calmly. "Tell me, Twilight, why did you tamper with his memories?"

Twilight fell over in shock, but tried to recover fruitlessly. "What- what do you mean? I didn't do that, and how would anypony even do that?"

"Twilight, I know it was you," Princess Celestia said sternly. "You are one of very few ponies with access to the forbidden spells and you are the only one to come in contact with him recently. Few enough ponies have the talent to cast them and I am certain you can."

Twilight waved a hoof dismissively and continued to lie through her teeth. "That doesn't mean I actually read them, they're forbidden for a reason. And how can you even tell his memories are erased?"

"I said they were tampered with, not erased," Princess Celestia said shrewdly. Twilight stuffed her hoof into her mouth. "I am the one who made the memory spells long ago. There are distinct markers they leave behind. They are not mentioned in the books so I have a way of detecting their use. If a unicorn knew about the markers they might try to work out a way around them. Most unicorns won't notice them and none will understand what they mean, but I do. Now would you please tell me what happened that you had to erase?"

"There are no threats to Equestria in Manehatten," Twilight stated clearly. She was backed into figurative corner, but she couldn't let this cause a war.

"I believe that, but that does not answer my question." Princess Celestia stood up and looked at Twilight sternly. "What happened?" she said sharply.

"I promised not to tell."

"You also promised to never use forbidden magic on other ponies, and to never lie to me."

Twilight looked at the floor. "We found a hive under the city. They've been there for centuries."

"And why did you keep this from me?"

"A lot of ponies would have gotten hurt. Shining Armor was going to find the hive and there would have been a fight. They were going to leave but... Rainbow Dash convinced me it was better to lie and let them stay."

Princess Celestia looked away and began walking about her room. "So. You went to Manehatten and stumbled across an entire hive under one of Equestria's largest cities. And the reason you did not tell me was you were worried some guards might get hurt?"

"They were also keeping the city safe from other hives. The fight would be hard for us too. They have armor that repels magic."

"Is this hive a potential threat?"

"I don't think so. They have been peaceful this whole time, and unless a future Queen wants to change that, they will stay that way."

"Then I know what must be done," Princess Celestia said coldly.

"Don't attack!" Twilight shouted. "If you just ask them to leave, they will! I promise!"

"I wouldn't attack peaceful creatures," Princess Celestia said, her tone softening. "I think I'll send an emissary to them. Have something writing so they know they may stay as long as they are peaceful. What do you think?"

"I think Queen Capas would be very happy with that."

"Maybe I'll invite her here as well. A hive loyal to Canterlot would be an invaluable asset." Princess Celestia said, returning to her spot on the floor. "Is there anything else you wanted to report?"

"Well, we still haven't learned everything about how Rainbow Dash became Rainbow Dash, but I think her parents adopted her as a newborn. She's learned how to shapeshift, sense emotions, and she can change her voice to sound like other ponies."

"I think she will be happy to be herself again. Who did you find to teach her?"

"Queen Ovi in Los Pegasus taught her."

"Her," Princess Celestia growled. "I'd love to have her removed from Equestria but I can't get the support to do it. Every time I suggest it, I get a chorus of 'no's' from the guards and nobles."

"You could just do it anyway."

"I could but then I remember it's better that it is her subjects doing that than mine."

"That's not very nice."

"Neither is why I invented memory spells but we do what we have to do to maintain order, even if we feel it is wrong. That is a burden of leadership."

"Princess?"

"Yes?"

"Do the archives have records from every town in Equestria?"

"Yes. Why do you ask?"

"Rainbow Dash has never told us when her birthday is and I'm going to find out."


	8. Chapter 8

centerForever a Changeling/centercenterby a href=" " rel="nofollow"Scootaloo-009/a, a.k.a. Mechsrule1/centercenterMy Little Pony and related names, images, and scenarios are property of Hasbro Inc./centercenterChapter 8/center  
p class="double" Rainbow Dash stretched her wings, enjoying the warm morning sun. After doing some quick stretches, she leapt from her home and began her nearly daily ritual of flying. Her mind was busy though. She had a plan. All she needed to finish it was a little help from Twilight./p  
p class="double" As she flew towards Sweet Apple Acres, she picked up a negative signal coming from Fluttershy's house. She'd developed a habit of leaving her pony sense on unless she was in a crowd to practice. She had gotten better at telling emotions apart, but it was limited to differentiating positive and negative emotions at the moment. She turned it off and went to investigate./p  
p class="double" "Hey, Fluttershy," she greeted when she was close enough./p  
p class="double" "Oh, good morning, Rainbow Dash," Fluttershy said. She was walking about her yard, looking inside every bush and gazing up into the trees./p  
p class="double" "Did you lose something?"/p  
p class="double" "It's Mr. Sugar Glider. I need to give him some medicine but he's went and vanished," Fluttershy said, holding up a pill about the size of a grape./p  
p class="double" "That's a pretty big pill for a squirrel to swallow, don't you think?"/p  
p class="double" "Sugar glider, and it's not a pill, it's suppository," Fluttershy replied./p  
p class="double" "Yikes. I feel bad for him."/p  
p class="double" "But he needs it. He ate some poisonous berries and I need to give him this antidote soon or it will be too late."/p  
p class="double" "Can I help?" Rainbow Dash asked./p  
p class="double" "I wouldn't want to keep you from what you were doing."/p  
p class="double" "It won't take long," Rainbow Dash said. She turned her sense back on and began picking through all the noise. There were animals everywhere, each giving off its own signal. It wasn't enough to overload her senses but it was uncomfortable. Finally she zeroed in on a strong feeling and flew to confirm her suspicions. "Is this him?"/p  
p class="double" "Yes! How did you find him so quickly?" Fluttershy flew over and grabbed the sugar glider tightly so he couldn't get away./p  
p class="double" "I just had a feeling," Rainbow Dash said. "Oh, I forgot. How did your parents' visit go?"/p  
p class="double" "It went okay," Fluttershy replied. "I wasn't expecting Zecora to stop bye and they were like we were at first but I managed to calm them down."/p  
p class="double" "I'm sorry I missed it. I'll see you around." Rainbow Dash flew off, headed to see her other friend on the outskirts of Ponyville."/p  
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p class="double" "Hey, Applejack," Rainbow Dash greeted. Her earth bound friend was slowly walking around the orchard, gazing up at the trees. "Whatcha up to?"/p  
p class="double" "Just checkin' the fields. It's nearly harvestin' time again," Applejack replied./p  
p class="double" "Sweet! That means cider too!" Rainbow Dash cheered. There was one thing she'd break her total food fast for and that was Sweet Apple Cider./p  
p class="double" "Yup. Say, yah said yah'd tell us about yer trip but that was more than two weeks ago," Applejack complained./p  
p class="double" "I know, but they've kept me working around the clock. Just because I'm the head weather pony in town doesn't mean I can take an unannounced week off."/p  
p class="double" "Well Ah'd like tah hear it at some point."/p  
p class="double" "I think I'll tell you all together, that way I don't have to repeat myself four times. How about you all meet a Twilight's tonight?"/p  
p class="double" Applejack suddenly looked startled. "Tonight? As in, tonight, tonight?"/p  
p class="double" "Yeah."/p  
p class="double" Applejack quickly shook her head. "Sorry, can't, Ah gotta... help Apple Bloom with a school project tonight. Maybe some other time?"/p  
p class="double" "Okay. It's not exactly urgent." Rainbow Dash turned to fly off but Applejack called after her./p  
p class="double" "Rainbow, Ah wanted tah say... Ah've never been more scared then when Twahlight cast that spell on you. Ah thought Ah might ah lost mah best friend."/p  
p class="double" "What, more than when Nightmare Moon showed up? Or how about when that dragon was going to barbeque us?"/p  
p class="double" "Ah'd rather face Discord and Nightmare Moon together then lose yah. Ah'm serious."/p  
p class="double" "I... I know..." Rainbow Dash replied, landing in front of Applejack. "I was scared I wouldn't be able to come home."/p  
p class="double" "But yah are home, right?"/p  
p class="double" "I'm home to stay," Rainbow Dash declared. "Until I get drafted by the wonderbolts, that is."/p  
p class="double" Applejack rolled her eyes. "Typical Rainbow."/p  
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p class="double" Rainbow Dash strolled through Ponyville, slowly making her way to the library./p  
p class="double" "Rainbow Dash! Oh, Rainbow Dash!"/p  
p class="double" Rainbow Dash turned and saw Rarity was calling her name while coming towards her. "Hey, Rarity."/p  
p class="double" "I'm so glad I ran into you of all ponies today. I have several dresses I need fitted," Rarity said. She leaned in close and whispered, "Somepony of your abilities would make it a lot easier than rounding up a dozen different sized ponies."/p  
p class="double" Rainbow Dash sighed. "It's not that easy. I basically have to be looking at them to do a good copy."/p  
p class="double" "Oh..."/p  
p class="double" "Unless you needed Twilight, I can't help," Rainbow Dash said. "Speaking of which, I've got to go see her."/p  
p class="double" "Umm... Twilight? Right now?" Rarity asked./p  
p class="double" "Yeah."/p  
p class="double" "Err... she's in Canterlot," Rarity said./p  
p class="double" Rainbow Dash shrugged. "That's okay. I really just need the library. I can look it up myself."/p  
p class="double" "The library is closed," Rarity said quickly./p  
p class="double" "No problem, Twilight gave me a spare key," Rainbow Dash said. "I'll see you later, Rarity."/p  
p class="double" Rarity watched her go with worry. "Uh oh... Pinkie Pie!"/p  
p class="double" "Yes?" Pinkie asked, popping out of a nearby bush./p  
p class="double" "Pinkie, Rainbow Dash is heading for the library. You have to stop her!"/p  
p class="double" "On it!"/p  
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p class="double" "Hey, Rainbow Dash!" Pinkie said, skipping along, keeping up with Rainbow Dash./p  
p class="double" "Hey, Pinkie Pie."/p  
p class="double" "Can you help me with something, Dashie?" Pinkie asked./p  
p class="double" "Depends. What do you need?"/p  
p class="double" Pinkie dramatically signed and Rainbow Dash stopped. "You wouldn't believe it. I'm swamped with work today and the Cakes are out of town. Everypony else is busy. Can you lend me a hoof?"/p  
p class="double" Rainbow Dash thought about it. "I'm not really good at cooking," she replied./p  
p class="double" "That's okay. There are tons of deliveries that need doing."/p  
p class="double" "Alright, I'll help. It's not like I'm in a rush," Rainbow Dash agreed./p  
p class="double" "Yay!" Pinkie cheered. She grabbed Rainbow Dash and dragged her into a rain barrel. The next thing she knew, Rainbow Dash was falling out of a jar in the Sugarcube Corner kitchen./p  
p class="double" "How did- where- what?" Rainbow Dash stammered, looking about. "How did we get here? We were on the other side of town!"/p  
p class="double" "I'm always thinking with portals!" Pinkie Pie replied./p  
p class="double" Rainbow Dash just let the subject drop. "So what do you need me to do?"/p  
p class="double" "I've got a whole bunch of deliveries to make and deliver. I'll bake them up and you can bring them to where they need to go."/p  
p class="double" "Okay," Rainbow Dash said. "Let me just..." she held Pinkie Pie still and focused on her. A second later she had shapeshifted into Pinkie's duplicate./p  
p class="double" "Cool!"/p  
p class="double" "What do you think?" Rainbow Dash asked. She then coughed. "I think I'm pretty convincing."/p  
p class="double" "Oh wow, you even got my voice!" Pinkie said. "But why?"/p  
p class="double" "I don't want everypony thinking I'm a delivery filly," Rainbow Dash replied. "So do you have anything ready to go?"/p  
p class="double" "These muffins need to go to the post office," Pinkie said giving a box to her doppelganger./p  
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p class="double" "Done!" Rainbow Dash declared. It had taken all day but she had finally finished all the deliveries. Spending hours as Pinkie Pie had been interesting. Everypony had greeted her and wanted to talk about something, forcing her to smile and nod. She still hadn't worked out how Pinkie managed the things she did, but it had still been nice./p  
p class="double" "Thanks for all the help!" Pinkie Pie said. "I have one more delivery but I'm going to bring that personally."/p  
p class="double" "Okay. I'll see you tomorrow," Rainbow Dash said, heading out the door./p  
p class="double" "You still look like me."/p  
p class="double" Rainbow Dash turned back to her normal self in a burst of blue. "Oops."/p  
p class="double" Rainbow Dash left Sugarcube Corner and went off to her original destination. She's probably see if Twilight had come home before letting herself in./p  
p class="double" "Hey, Rainbow."/p  
p class="double" Rainbow Dash turned and saw Applejack struggling with two barrels. One was on her back and she was rolling the other one along with her head./p  
p class="double" "Here, I'll get that," Rainbow Dash said. She galloped over and lowered her body to the ground next to the barrel. She tilted it over onto her back and tried to stand back up. "Grrrah," she groaned. "What's in here, lead?"/p  
p class="double" "Somethin' heavy," Applejack replied. "Thanks fer the help."/p  
p class="double" "No problem. I thought you were helping Apple Bloom," Rainbow Dash said./p  
p class="double" "I... uh... we finished early," Applejack said./p  
p class="indented double""Where are we going?"/p  
p class="double" "This way," Applejack said, leading the way./p  
p class="double" Rainbow Dash followed the orange mare as she walked slowly through the streets of Ponyville. The barrel was heavy and she briefly contemplated trying to shapeshift herself more muscle but there was still some ponies around that might see. Finally Applejack stopped and Rainbow Dash nearly ran into her./p  
p class="double" "We're here," she announced./p  
p class="double" "The library?" Rainbow Dash said, confused. Applejack nodded and marched over to the door. She knocked and it opened but Rainbow Dash couldn't see anypony inside./p  
p class="double" "Well, come on."/p  
p class="double" The inside of the tree was dark. Rainbow Dash had just made it inside the door and placed the barrel on the floor when the lights all came on at once./p  
p class="double" "SURPRISE!"/p  
p class="double" "Huh? Whah?" Rainbow Dash said, looking around at all her friends. The main lobby of the library had been covered in decorations. There was a big banner saying "Happy Birthday Rainbow Dash"/p  
p class="double" "It's your birthday, silly," Rarity said./p  
p class="double" "It's not my birthday," Rainbow Dash said, genuinely confused. "It's not for a few months."/p  
p class="double" "That's where you're wrong," Twilight said./p  
p class="double" "You never told us when it was before," Pinkie said./p  
p class="double" "So Twi here looked it up," Applejack continued./p  
p class="double" "Canterlot has a copy of all legal records from every town in Equestria. It wasn't that hard to look it up," Twilight explained./p  
p class="double" "Oh... Oh!"/p  
p class="double" "Enough talking, let's have a party!" Pinkie cheered. "I brought the treats!"/p  
p class="double" "Eh... no thanks," Rainbow Dash said./p  
p class="double" Pinkie's eyes welled up. "Aren't you going to eat?"/p  
p class="double" "I don't need to. I haven't eaten since I found out I'm a changeling. I feel fine."/p  
p class="double" "You don't have to, I guess," Fluttershy said./p  
p class="double" Applejack had placed her barrel on a table and had stuck a tap in it. "How about some cider? Ah brought two whole barrels of mah best fermented cider! It's the vintage from the year yah were born."/p  
p class="double" "I can't say no to that!" Rainbow Dash said. Applejack poured her a mug and Rainbow Dash happily grabbed it. She went to chug it when she stopped. "That's it!"/p  
p class="double" "What's it?" Applejack asked./p  
p class="double" "Your cider! It smells just like my hive!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed./p  
p class="double" "What are you talking about?" Rarity asked./p  
p class="double" "It's a long story," Rainbow Dash began./p  
p class="indented double"And then she told them. She went over everything that had happened since the day she had lost her disguise. She began with the trip to Los Pegasus with Twilight, covering what she had learned there. She left out most of the real adventure in Manehatten though, for obvious reasons./p  
p class="double" "So we found the guy in the sewer and dragged him back out," Rainbow Dash finished. Twilight had remained silent throughout the story, fidgeting quite a bit. at the end./p  
p class="double" "There's a part two to that story," Twilight said, speaking up. "Princess Celestia sent me a letter last weekend saying Queen Capas had signed a peace agreement. Her hive can stay as long as they are peaceful."/p  
p class="double" "Twilight, you promised not to tell!" Rainbow Dash shouted./p  
p class="double" "I"m sorry! She already knew something was up!" Twilight whined. "I didn't have a choice."/p  
p class="double" "I'm confused," Rarity said./p  
p class="double" Rainbow Dash sighed. "In Manehatten we found a hive of changelings. They've been there forever and rather than exposing them and causing a lot of fighting, we just hushed it up."/p  
p class="double" "It would have worked but it turns out Princess Celestia put hidden markers in the memory spell," Twilight continued. "She was pretty upset I had used forbidden magic."/p  
p class="double" "Didn't you say it had giveaways?" Fluttershy asked./p  
p class="double" "Well it can be obvious if the memory jumps around or has an inconsistency. I'm not sure what she did but she was able to tell I had altered his memory almost instantly."/p  
p class="double" "That don't sound right, messin' with somepony's mind," Applejack growled./p  
p class="double" "It wasn't the best idea," Twilight said shamefully./p  
p class="double" "We didn't have a lot of options and a fight would have ended badly for us because their armor was magic proof," Rainbow Dash replied./p  
p class="double" "It still seems wrong," Applejack said./p  
p class="double" "I know," Twilight said./p  
p class="double" "That reminds me," Rainbow Dash said. "AJ, we need to get this girl some hard stuff. Twilight's never gotten drunk before."/p  
p class="double" "Ah got two barrels here. Fill her up."/p  
p class="double" "Before I lose myself," Twilight interrupted, putting up a hoof. "You wanted to see me about something?"/p  
p class="double" "Yeah," Rainbow Dash said, unsure if she should say it in front of everypony. "Well, I'm kinda planning on going home." Rainbow Dash was immediately dogpiled by four ponies all begging her not to go. "Not forever," she protested. "What, can I not take a trip?"/p  
p class="double" "You promise to come back?" Pinkie asked, her eyes watering./p  
p class="double" "Pinkie, I'm only going to be gone a couple days, a week at most."/p  
p class="double" "So why do you need me, exactly?" Twilight asked./p  
p class="double" "Well... I don't exactly remember where it is," Rainbow Dash admitted./p  
p class="double" "You don't know where your hometown is?" Rarity asked, confused./p  
p class="double" "I left a long time ago and I haven't gone back since. All I know is it's west of Cloudsdale, but since Cloudsdale moves, I need to look up where it was the first day I came there and then work it out from there," Rainbow Dash explained./p  
p class="double" "Or you could just go to Canterlot and look up your birth certificate like I did," Twilight replied. "That will have the name of the town on it."/p  
p class="double" "That's a much better idea," Rainbow Dash agreed./p  
p class="double" "Are we going to party or not?" Pinkie asked./p  
p class="indented double""Bottoms up," Rainbow Dash declared./p  
p class="indented double"Over the course of the night, Rainbow Dash shifted into forms copying all of her friends. Each time she got a round of laughter from the increasingly inebriated group. She even attempted to mimic the absent Spike, but she ended up as a purple pony with a green mane running down her back that spiked up every few inches to look like spines./p  
p class="indented double""Hey, check this," she said, looking like a hatless Applejack. "Ahem, Sweet Apple Acres has the best apple orchard in Ponyville," she said, sounding exactly as Applejack. The girls fell over laughing, except Applejack who frowned./p  
p class="indented double""Ah am offended," she said. Rainbow Dash looked sheepish as she changed into her Fluttershy form. "We have the best orchard in Equestria."/p  
p class="indented double""Applejack, I just want to say this is great," Twilight said hugging her mug of cider. "Why did you not tell me about this stuff before?" She tipped over and laid on the floor with a silly grin on her face. "Hey! Who put the floor here?"/p  
p class="indented double""Wow. How much has she had?" Fluttershy asked. She was still sipping her first mug./p  
p class="indented double""Um..." Applejack hummed. "Five?"/p  
p class="indented double""I won't want to be her tomorrow," Pinkie said./p  
p class="indented double""Sugarcube, yah had half a barrel herself," Applejack said./p  
p class="indented double""I know. I've really held back," Pinkie replied./p  
p class="indented double""I'll help her. I know a spell that clears up hangovers, " Rarity said. "There are some good benefits to having magic."/p  
p class="indented double""You'll have to teach me," Rainbow Dash said. "That is some magic I would actually want to learn."/p  
p class="indented double""Does all this changing mean you're okay being a changeling?" Pinkie asked./p  
p class="indented double"Rainbow Dash stopped and furrowed her brow in thought. She was quiet for a while before replying. "I think so. You're right. This is kinda cool."/p  
p class="indented double""That means I can have a party to announce it, right?"/p  
p class="indented double""No, no, no... no... no. I don't want this getting out any more than it already is. I'm fine but that won't stop other ponies from acting badly."/p  
p class="indented double""I'm sure they would come around eventually," Fluttershy said./p  
p class="indented double""Then there are other changelings who might attack me on sight," Rainbow Dash said. "Girls, this has to stay secret."/p  
p class="indented double""Cross my pie and hope to eye, stick a fly in my heart," Twilight mumbled from the floor./p  
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p class="indented double"The party had ended in the early morning Rarity had been kind enough to sober them all up with her spell. Sleep would have to wait for Rainbow Dash, but the train ride to Canterlot would be long enough for a good nap. She could have flown but she was too exhausted./p  
p class="double" Rainbow Dash trotted to the train station and walked over to the ticket booth. After getting a ticket, she went over to the tracks to wait. When she walked over she saw a familiar pony also waiting for a train./p  
p class="double" "Applejack?"/p  
p class="double" "Rainbow! Ah was startin' tah wonder if yah were gonna miss the train," Applejack replied, smiling./p  
p class="double" "What are you doing here?" Rainbow Dash demanded./p  
p class="double" "Well Ah got a few days before the harvest starts so Ah might as well take a mini vacation now, so Ah figure Ah oughta tag along with you," Applejack explained./p  
p class="double" Rainbow Dash smiled nervously. "You don't have to do that. I'll be fine on my own."/p  
p class="double" "Ah know. But Ah wanna."/p  
p class="double" "Okay," Rainbow Dash said, figuring she could ditch Applejack in Canterlot or bore her with all the research she was going to have to do./p  
p class="double" "Sometimes Ah feel like seein' mah folks too," Applejack said, staring up into black early morning sky. "Though Ah only have tah go round the barn. You've got a bit farther tah go Ah wager."/p  
p class="double" "Huh?" Rainbow Dash blurted out./p  
p class="double" "Ah know what it's like tah lose yer parents. Just remember we're here too. Yah ain't alone."/p  
p class="double" "How did you know?" Rainbow Dash asked, surprised. emHow could I forget Applejack lost her parents too?/em/p  
p class="double" "Ah could tell. Ah never mentioned it though. Figured yah would tell us when yah were ready."/p  
p class="indented double"Rainbow Dash was quiet for a while. "It's been so long. The town might not even be there anymore."/p  
p class="indented double""We'll find out."/p  
p class="indented double""Yeah. We will."/p 


	9. Chapter 9

centerForever a Changeling/centercenterby a href=" " rel="nofollow"Scootaloo-009/a, a.k.a. Mechsrule1/centercenterMy Little Pony and related names, images, and scenarios are property of Hasbro Inc./centercenterChapter 9/center  
p class="indented double"Rainbow Dash and Applejack walked through the outskirts of the earth pony farming town, aptly named Dust Bowl. The town listed on her birth certificate was so remote it didn't even have a train station so they had been forced to walk several miles./p  
p class="indented double"It had been surprisingly easy to get access to the records. All she had needed to do was walk in and give her name. They had been back in the station before the next train had arrived. The name Dust Bowl seemed familiar but it could just be because it was such a simple name./p  
p class="indented double"They were walking by a large farm that seemed fallow. The fields were covered in rocks and little else. A farmer was busy rolling a stone about. The girls trotted over and he looked up./p  
p class="double" "Excuse me," Rainbow Dash said to the brown earth pony farmer. "I'm looking for some ponies. Could you help me?"/p  
p class="double" "Sure. I've lived here my whole life so I know all the folks in town. What's the name?" the farmer replied./p  
p class="double" Rainbow Dash sighed. "Their names were Posey and Spectrum Chaser."/p  
p class="double" The farmer looked even gloomier and shook his head. "I'm sorry, but they're not around any more. They passed a few years ago."/p  
p class="double" "I know. I'm here to see them."/p  
p class="double" "The cemetery is on the other side of town. Did you have business with them? You'd have to see the town clerk if you do."/p  
p class="double" "I just need to see them. I'm their daughter," Rainbow Dash said./p  
p class="double" He blinked and was visibly shaken. "It was my understanding that you died with them," he said./p  
p class="double" "No, I left and ended up in Cloudsdale. I just haven't been back. I should have come sooner but..."/p  
p class="double" "I understand. I would still see the clerk, they may have left some things for you."/p  
p class="double" "I will," Rainbow Dash agreed./p  
p class="indented double"Suddenly a loud crash rang out, emanating from behind the house. The farm pony stormed off towards the house./p  
p class="indented double""Pinkamena, what have I told you about being careful near the rock pile!" he shouted./p  
p class="indented double"Rainbow Dash and Applejack looked at each other and quickly followed. They went around the side of the house to find their pink friend busily restacking some boulders./p  
p class="indented double""Pinkie?" Rainbow Dash exclaimed, causing her to look up from her work./p  
p class="indented double""Girls! You came to visit?" she said, skipping over, letting the rock she had been moving roll back down./p  
p class="indented double""You all know each other?" the brown pony asked./p  
p class="indented double""Oh, Daddy, these are my friends from Ponyville, the ones I've been telling you and mom about. Meet Rainbow Dash and Applejack. Applejack is a farmer too, but she farms apples, not rocks, and Rainbow Dash is going to be a Wonderbolt!"/p  
p class="indented double""Hi," Rainbow Dash greeted./p  
p class="indented double""Howdy," Applejack added./p  
p class="indented double""A what?" Pinkie's father asked./p  
p class="indented double""Wonderbolt. They're the greatest fliers in Equestria."/p  
p class="indented double""Never heard of them," Mr. Pie said./p  
p class="indented double""What are you doing here?" Rainbow Dash asked./p  
p class="indented double""Well, you said you were going to visit your parents. It reminded me that I hadn't been home in a while so I came here."/p  
p class="indented double""Pinkamena, why don't you help your friends find their way around town," Mr. Pie suggested./p  
p class="indented double""But I want to help fix the rock pile," Pinkie said. As she spoke she bumped another boulder and sent a bunch rolling off the pile. She smiled sheepishly. "I'll be back in time for dinner."/p  
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p class="double" "Hey, Scootaloo," Sweetie Belle greeted. She and Apple Bloom were waiting for her outside the school house. Class didn't start for a few minutes so most of the foals were milling about outside./p  
p class="double" "Hey, girls," Scootaloo replied. Normally she was the first one there, and she was really dragging her hooves that morning. She didn't even have her scooter with her./p  
p class="double" "What's wrong, Scoots?" Apple Bloom asked./p  
p class="double" "I... I'll tell you about it after class," Scootaloo replied./p  
p class="double" "Okay," Sweetie Belle said./p  
p class="double" "Hey, Ah heard Rainbow Dash has been back fer a while. Have yah had a chance tah talk with her?" Apple Bloom asked./p  
p class="double" Scootaloo nodded. "Yeah."/p  
p class="double" "And?" Sweetie Belle urged./p  
p class="double" "She's Rainbow Dash. That's all I need to know," Scootaloo said./p  
p class="double" "But is she-" The school bell ringing, signalling the start of class, cut Sweetie Belle off./p  
p class="double" "Better get to class," Scootaloo said, fidgeting./p  
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p class="double" "Hi, Mr. Clockwork, hi, Mrs. Hearts," Pinkie greeted. She'd greeted by name every pony in town so far. "So, what are you doing here?" she asked./p  
p class="double" "I'm here to see my parents," Rainbow Dash answered./p  
p class="double" "I didn't know they lived here? What are their names?"/p  
p class="double" "Spectrum Chaser and Posey," Rainbow Dash half grunted. They had reached the entrance to the cemetery. It was large for such a small town, covering at least ten acres, maybe more. It was hard to see with the rolling hills. She stood at the break in the stone wall, trying to psych herself up./p  
p class="double" "I've never heard of them before. Are they new? Why are we stopping here?" Pinkie asked./p  
p class="double" Rainbow Dash ignored her and slowly marched into the graveyard./p  
p class="double" "Are your parents the new groundskeepers or something?"/p  
p class="double" Applejack put a hoof to Pinkie's muzzle. Pinkie looked at her, confused, but Applejack just shook her head. Pinkie nodded. She put her hoof down and Pinkie stayed quiet as they walked through the rows of headstones./p  
p class="double" As they walked, Rainbow Dash focused on each stone monolith. It was after a while that she began noticing each had a distinct symbol on the top: a downward facing crescent shape. She wondered what it was until she saw one with a different symbol, this one one had a cone on it. In the next row she saw one with what looked like a crude wing./p  
p class="double" emThey're showing what tribe they're from!/em she realized. She wasn't at all surprised to see most of the towns inhabitants had been earth ponies./p  
p class="double" Some stones had multiple names on it, others were grouped together to show families. The ones with multiple names almost always had the same death date. Together they walked up and down the rows, scanning for two names. Rainbow Dash paid extra attention to the larger stones./p  
p class="double" They came to a stretch of nothing but large stones, with several dozen all grouped together./p  
p class="double" "Oh my," Applejack said, realizing they were all from the same time period./p  
p class="double" "Plague," Pinkie said solemnly. "I've heard stories about it. Half of the town was wiped out in four months."/p  
p class="double" Rainbow Dash was getting a bit anxious. The town was clearly very old. They had started at the oldest graves, dating back over a thousand years, but now they were coming to more recent dates. Their stone would be coming up./p  
p class="double" And then she saw it. A large, but plain stone with two crescents at the top. Rainbow Dash laid down and wept. Applejack joined her and patted her back./p  
p class="double" "Uh... Dashie?" Pinkie asked. Applejack tried to silence her with a glare but it didn't work. "Girls, this doesn't make any sense."/p  
p class="double" "What? That I've been an orphan this whole time?!" Rainbow Dash shouted. "Sorry I didn't feel like telling you!"/p  
p class="double" "But-"/p  
p class="double" "Hush, Sugarcube. We'll talk later," Applejack said sternly./p  
p class="double" "Rainbow Dash!" Pinkie yelled. Rainbow Dash looked over, her eyes very red. "Look, I know what it's like to lose family. So many of these graves belong to my ancestors. I know you want to grieve, I just wanted to point out this can't be their grave."/p  
p class="double" "It is," Rainbow Dash said. "I know it's hard to believe they were earth ponies, but it says right here, Spectrum Chaser and Posey... and..."/p  
p class="double" ""Rainbow Dash," Applejack finished reading the third name. It had been hard to spot. It was lower than the others, and between them, but it had a little wing symbol over it./p  
p class="double" "But... but how? I survived the storm!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed./p  
p class="double" "Maybe they didn't know?" Pinkie suggested./p  
p class="double" "No, I know one of the ponies who found me stayed behind to let them know," Rainbow Dash replied. "This just does not make sense." Rainbow Dash backed up, rubbing her head with a hoof. Suddenly there was a loud crack followed by a dull thump. "No no no!" Rainbow Dash said, watching the headstone fall back after she had bumped into it. She examined it carefully but it didn't seem damaged in any way. "Phew..."/p  
p class="double" "That broke really easily," Applejack commented./p  
p class="double" "What's that?" Pinkie asked. She was pointing to the base of the headstone. It appeared as though the headstone had been separated from the base a long time ago. What Pinkie was directly pointing to was a small concave hole in the base in which a small piece of blue material sat./p  
p class="double" Rainbow Dash looked at it and picked it up. It was very fragile feeling and actually cracked when she lifted it out to get a good look at it./p  
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p class="double" Suddenly Rainbow Dash was somewhere else. A cave of some sorts. She barely had time to make sense of where she was before she was moving. She was flying backwards rapidly. The world blurred, the blurring seemed exaggerated from her perspective./p  
p class="double" She began to slow. Now she was looking at the cave from the outside. She sped up again and could see the mountain it was on. Something was wrong though, these trees were beginning to brown but it was mid summer. She moved back yet again. Now she could see just the top of the mountain beyond another mountain./p  
p class="double" The next few pauses followed the pattern, seeing the mountain from farther and farther away until she couldn't see it any more. It receded into the distance. The vision kept going until she was looking over Dust Bowl, but it still looked like early autumn. There was a flash and the graveyard returned./p  
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p class="double" "Rainbow?"/p  
p class="double" "Dashie?"/p  
p class="double" "Woah," Rainbow Dash said, holding her head. She noticed she'd dropped the blue thing./p  
p class="double" "Are you alright?" Applejack asked./p  
p class="double" "Ye- yeah."/p  
p class="double" "What is it?" Pinkie asked, picking up the blue thing./p  
p class="double" "I... I think it's mine," Rainbow Dash said. "I just looked at it and I had a vision."/p  
p class="double" "Huh," Applejack said, sniffing the blue thing. "Is this thing... an egg shell?"/p  
p class="double" "Like I said, I think it's mine."/p  
p class="double" "What did you see?" Pinkie asked./p  
p class="double" "I... I think it was where I came from."/p  
p class="double" "This is really nice work," Applejack commented, righting the headstone. "Ah think this was done with magic. The break, Ah mean."/p  
p class="double" "And who put this here? And why?" Rainbow Dash wondered. "Wait," she said suddenly, remembering something. She dug around in her saddlebags and pulled out the blue box./p  
p class="double" "What's that?" Applejack asked./p  
p class="double" "I got it from Meadow Breeze. If the queen left this for me, maybe..." Rainbow Dash focused on the box and used her shapeshifting abilities but didn't change her outward appearance. The flames encircled the box and when they vanished, she was left with a pile of blue dust. "Ah ha!"/p  
p class="double" "What? I don't get it?" Pinkie asked./p  
p class="double" "My- our queen must have left these for us. Meadow said she would know how to open it when she needed to. It would stand to reason that time would be when she learned she could shapeshift. This must have been put here for me to find!"/p  
p class="double" "She must want you to find her, " Pinkie said./p  
p class="indented double""What are yah gonna do?" Applejack asked./p  
p class="indented double""I don't know... if that really is me down there, then that means Twilight was wrong and I did replace her. That means its all a lie! I never knew them! All my memories are just fake!" Rainbow Dash wailed, tears streaming down her face./p  
p class="indented double""Rainbow, this don't mean anything. There weren't any definite answers here," Applejack said, trying to comfort her./p  
p class="indented double""You're right. This doesn't prove anything," Rainbow Dash agreed. "But now I know where the answers are."/p  
p class="indented double""And we'll be there with you," Applejack said./p  
p class="indented double""It's miles to the north and over some mountains. It'll be faster if I just fly."/p  
p class="indented double""I brought my balloon, " Pinkie said./p  
p class="indented double""Yer not goin' alone," Applejack declared./p  
p class="indented double""Fine.. but first I want to visit that clerk."/p  
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p class="double" "Okay, yah said yah'd tell us when class was over, then yah said yah'd tell us when we got to the clubhouse," Apple Bloom said, getting a bit irritated. "Now are yah gonna tell us whatever it is yah wanted tah tell us er not?"/p  
p class="double" Scootaloo sighed. She couldn't delay it any longer. She could make something up, but she had promised herself that morning she would tell her friends the truth. "Girls, I want to tell you something. Something really important but you have promise never to tell anypony, especially not the fillies at school."/p  
p class="double" "Of course we won't tell," Sweetie Belle said./p  
p class="double" "We'd never spill somepony's secret... well now that we're not Gabby Gums, that is," Apple Bloom added./p  
p class="double" "Alright." Scootaloo took another deep breath. "I'm an orphan."/p  
p class="double" "Scootaloo!" Sweetie Belle cried, hugging her. "Why didn't you tell us sooner?"/p  
p class="double" "Ah don't get it," Apple Bloom said. She cocked her head to the side./p  
p class="double" Scootaloo looked back in shock. "I'm an orphan. That means I don't have any parents."/p  
p class="double" "Ah don't know what yah mean by that. Yah had tah have parents, everypony does. We don't just fall outta a tree," Apple Bloom said./p  
p class="double" "Okay, I had parents but I don't know where they are."/p  
p class="double" "So they're off somewhere," Apple Bloom said, trying to see if she understood./p  
p class="double" "No," Scootaloo said in disbelief./p  
p class="double" "Are they dead?"/p  
p class="double" "I don't know. Maybe. I hope," Scootaloo said./p  
p class="double" "Ah just don't get it," Apple Bloom said. "So who do you live with?"/p  
p class="double" "I live at the Ponyville Orphanage. There are a couple other foals there but one's way older than me and the other is way younger," Scootaloo answered./p  
p class="double" "So yer... cousins? Friends ah yer parents?"/p  
p class="double" "Apple Bloom, do you really not know what an orphan is?" Sweetie Belle asked. "I mean they're not common but they're around."/p  
p class="double" "Ah've never heard the word bahfore," Apple Bloom said. "Can yah just tell me what it means?"/p  
p class="double" "It means that a week after I was born my parents dumped me at Town Hall and never came back. I've grown up in an Orphanage full of ponies like that, or whose parents died, or whatever. The reason we never have sleepovers at my house is because I don't have one! How can you not get that?"/p  
p class="double" "Maybe yah just got left here bah accident, and they've been lookin' fer you," Apple Bloom suggested./p  
p class="double" "I let go of that fantasy years ago. They didn't want me and I don't want them," Scootaloo grumbled./p  
p class="double" "They're yer parents, Ah'm sure they care about you. Maybe somethin' happened and they died," Apple Bloom said./p  
p class="double" "Apple Bloom, why can't you just get I don't have any family?"/p  
p class="double" "Apple Bloom, not everypony has a family as big as yours," Sweetie Belle said. "And we're your family, Scootaloo."/p  
p class="double" "Don't get all sappy on me," Scootaloo groaned. "And don't tell anypony. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon are bad enough now."/p  
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p class="double" "Welcome to the town hall, how can I help you?" The grey mare behind the counter was very surprised to have three ponies walk in. The town hall hadn't been this busy in weeks./p  
p class="double" "Her dad said you might have something for me. My... parents passed away a while ago and I haven't been back since," Rainbow Dash said, gesturing to Pinkie./p  
p class="double" "Okay, can I have your name?" the clerk asked./p  
p class="double" "Rainbow Dash. They were Spectrum Charger and Posey," Rainbow Dash answered./p  
p class="double" The clerk nodded then walked away from the desk. She went into one of the back rooms. From where they waited they could hear the opening and closing of filing cabinets. She was gone for several minutes before coming back to the desk with a single very thin folder. She placed it on the desk and began flipping through it./p  
p class="double" "I don't know what to tell you, sweetie. According to these records, you're dead."/p  
p class="double" "I know. It's a mistake. I was taken to Cloudsdale. I thought a pony stayed behind to tell you that, but something must have happened."/p  
p class="double" "Well I'm sorry, but according to this, I don't have anything. I have your parents' will here. All of what they left you is gone. The property was sold off, and what was left of the estate was given to your surviving relatives. I could give you some names and addresses if you want to speak with them."/p  
p class="double" "No thanks. I... was just curious. Thank you for looking," Rainbow Dash said, her ears drooping. When she had heard Mr. Pie's suggestion, she'd hoped her parents had left her something. Anything. She turned to leave./p  
p class="double" "Wait," the clerk said. "I'm not supposed to do this, but seeing as the file is closed, nopony will notice. I know it isn't much." She pulled a small photograph out of the file and hoofed it to Rainbow Dash. The photo depicted in black and white, two happy earth ponies with a little pegasus pony hovering just over their heads./p  
p class="double" "Thank you. You can't imagine what this means to me," Rainbow Dash said, her eyes tearing up again. She delicately put the photo into her saddlebag, inside the Daring Doo book so it wouldn't get bent or wrinkled./p  
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p class="double" "Ah think Ah get it now," Apple Bloom said after an hour of trying to explain things. "Yer parents are out there somewhere but yah don't know where, they ain't lookin' fer you, and yah've been livin' with some other ponies in the same situation. Right?"/p  
p class="double" "Yes, finally," Scootaloo sighed./p  
p class="double" "Ah still don't get why parents would do that,"Apple Bloom said./p  
p class="double" Scootaloo smirked. "Me neither."/p  
p class="double" "So how do you leave?" Apple Bloom asked./p  
p class="double" "When I'm a grown mare I can leave on my own, or I can get adopted. A family takes me in. I'm not sure how that works, none of the orphans I've seen have gotten adopted, but it does apparently happen."/p  
p class="double" "That's an idea! Why can't our parents adopt you?" Sweetie Belle suggested./p  
p class="double" Scootaloo smiled and rolled her eyes. "If I wanted to be adopted I would have told you a long time ago. I'm happy the way things are. Really."/p  
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p class="double" The trio left the town hall and headed back to the Pie farm./p  
p class="double" "So how far do yah think this place is?" Applejack asked./p  
p class="double" "I'm not totally sure, but maybe a couple hours," Rainbow Dash replied./p  
p class="double" Applejack looked up at the sky. "It's sundown soon. We should probably wait until the morning before traveling."/p  
p class="double" "And I'm hungry. I don't want to travel on an empty stomach," Pinkie Pie said./p  
p class="double" "I'm not hungry at all," Rainbow Dash said./p  
p class="double" "Well that's great fer you, but we ain't all changelings," Applejack replied. "We can't just get food from the air."/p  
p class="double" "Eh, heh, right," Rainbow Dash said, rubbing her head. "I kinda forgot."/p  
p class="double" "We'll find an inn and restaurant in town then head out tomorrow," Applejack said. "It-/p  
p class="double" "You need a place to stay?" The trio stopped. They had walked all the way back to the Pie farm without realizing it. Mr. PIe was looking at them. "You're welcome to stay here. With all the girls having moved out, there's plenty of room for you."/p  
p class="double" "We wouldn't want to impose," Applejack said./p  
p class="double" "Yeah, I'm sure the inn is nice," Rainbow Dash said./p  
p class="double" "Nonsense, dinner is ready. Come on," Mr. Pie said, walking off towards the house./p  
p class="double" "Sleepover!" Pinkie Pie cheered, hopping after him./p  
p class="double" "Dinner. Great," Rainbow Dash grumbled./p  
p class="double" "Ah it can't be bad. This is Pinkie's family after all," Applejack said./p  
p class="double" "Yeah. Real food. Like what I haven't eaten in weeks. This will be interesting."/p 


	10. Chapter 10

centerForever a Changeling/centercenterby a href=" " rel="nofollow"Scootaloo-009/a, a.k.a. Mechsrule1/centercenterMy Little Pony and related names, images, and scenarios are property of Hasbro Inc./centercenterChapter 10/center  
p class="double" Applejack yawned and stretched as she awoke. Her legs were stiff and sore from the hard mattress, but she felt good. She looked out the window and realized that if she had been home, she would have said she had gotten up late. Celestia had risen the sun already. She looked over at the other two beds in the room./p  
p class="double" It seemed hard to imagine anypony could share a room with Pinkie, given the amount of stuff she had in Ponyville, but this room had apparently contained Pinkie and both of her sisters for years. It was plain with just three wood beds and white walls. The whole place was like that. If Applejack could name a place that was the exact opposite of Pinkie Pie, it would be this house./p  
p class="double" PInkie Pie was already missing. Applejack could hear her downstairs, doing something, but she couldn't make out the noises. Rainbow Dash was up as well, curled up in the fetal position./p  
p class="double" "Mornin' Rainbow. How did yah sleep?"/p  
p class="double" Rainbow Dash looked over with a pained expression. "I shouldn't have eaten dinner," she groaned./p  
p class="double" "It was pretty good. What's yer problem?"/p  
p class="double" "I haven't eaten food in weeks. I wasn't sure what would happen, but now I know what happens: pain."/p  
p class="double" "This wouldn't happen if yah just ate," Applejack said./p  
p class="double" "But if I don't, then I don't have to spend half my paycheck on food."/p  
p class="double" "What were yah eatin' bahfore that was that expensive?"/p  
p class="double" "I'm exaggerating, okay. But food still costs bits. This way I have more to save."/p  
p class="double" "Well it's yer life."/p  
p class="double" "Which may not be very long. I feel awful."/p  
p class="double" "At least yah ain't goin' hungry," Applejack retorted./p  
p class="double" Rainbow Dash paused as she thought about it. "No, I'm not. And good thing too, I'm not getting anything off of them. At least we can be sure there're no changelings around here. There's no food for them!"/p  
p class="double" "Girls, I made breakfast," Pinkie announced, bursting into the room. Rainbow Dash groaned, but Applejack chuckled/p  
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p class="double" "Good morning, Rarity," Twilight greeted, entering the Carousel Boutique. She saw Rarity hard at work as always on a dress, though this one was familiar. It was Rainbow Dash's Galloping Gala Dress, but Rarity was busy nearly pulling it apart. "What's going on?"/p  
p class="double" Rarity jumped slightly. "Oh, I didn't hear you come in. I get so focused sometimes..."/p  
p class="double" "It's no big deal. I was just wondering if you had been able to mend my bed sheets."/p  
p class="double" Rarity was quiet for a minute, trying to remember. "Oh, right, from the other night. I'm sorry, but I haven't gotten around to repairing them yet. I'll get on that."/p  
p class="double" "There's no need to rush yourself. It's not that important, I have more than one set," Twilight said./p  
p class="double" "Well alright, but I will try to get to it today."/p  
p class="double" Twilight looked the dress up and down but was at a loss as to what Rarity was trying to do. "Why are you working on Rainbow Dash's dress?"/p  
p class="double" "Well it's to match her new abilities. She may just be getting used to them, but I think she will eventually feel comfortable with using them. I'm trying to make her dress work with any kind of pony so she can shapeshift while wearing it. The trick is to get wing holes that don't look like wing holes without the wings there. I haven't quite got it worked out," Rarity informed Twilight. "And don't get me started on trying to make the wreath look good with a horn."/p  
p class="double" "How about an illusion spell? You could enchant a jemstone and hide it on the dress to power it. It could make the dress look whole," Twilight suggested./p  
p class="double" "Oh, Twilight, magic isn't always the answer. I must do this as a tailor. No outfit can be beyond my ability to make. I will figure this out."/p  
p class="double" "Then let me get out of your hair."/p  
p class="double" "Actually, that does give me an idea. Do you think you could enchant a clasp to open when she shapeshifts?"/p  
p class="double" "Maybe. I don't know anything about changeling magic, and there may not be a difference when she sprouts wings or a horn."/p  
p class="double" "Mark my words, Twilight, I will figure this out."/p  
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p class="double" After Applejack and Pinkie Pie ate, the three piled into Pinkie's balloon. They brought their stuff with them. Rainbow Dash was pretty sure the trip would only take a couple hours, but they insisted. The air was favorable and even with the three of them and their stuff, they moved quickly. It only took them an hour before the terrain began to look very familiar to Rainbow Dash./p  
p class="double" The mountains looked different than they did in her vision, but that was because of the different seasons. Pinkie Pie and Applejack were surprisingly quiet. Rainbow Dash spent the time by hanging half out of the basket and gazing out at the scenery./p  
p class="double" "Hey! There it is!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed. Her friends perked up and leaped to the side to join her in looking./p  
p class="double" "That mountain?" Applejack asked./p  
p class="double" "Yup. There's a cave about half of the way up."/p  
p class="double" "The forest is too dense to land there. I'll have to land the balloon in that clearing over there and we'll walk there," Pinkie said. She began fiddling with the balloon control and they slowly descended. When they were close enough, Pinkie pulled out a giant anchor out of nowhere and heaved it over the side. It slammed into the ground, yanking the basket downwards a few feet. Pinkie than wound the rope up, pulling them in./p  
p class="double" "Where did you get that from?" Applejack asked./p  
p class="double" "And wouldn't it weigh the balloon down just as much inside the basket as outside?" Rainbow Dash asked./p  
p class="double" "I keep it in my portable hole. Stuff inside it doesn't count towards the mass of this universe," Pinkie said. The basket was just inches from the ground so Pinkie tied the anchor rope up and gave it a tug to make sure it was secure./p  
p class="double" "Uh huh," Rainbow Dash and Applejack said together, just nodding./p  
p class="double" The clearing was deceptively close to the cave from her vision. The forest was humid and the day was hot so they were all pretty sweaty from the short half mile long walk up the mountain. They kept walking up until they hit a cliff face. It was only a few yards high and covered in foliage that hid it well. Rainbow Dash knew the cave would be along it./p  
p class="double" It was a few more minutes before they came to a gaping hole in the cliff face. A yawning black hole extending far into the mountain. It was definitely at least partially dug out. The opening was far too smooth and rounded to be natural. Rainbow Dash sniffed the air and caught the distinct scent of Sweet Apple Cider./p  
p class="double" "This is it. I'm positive," Rainbow Dash announced. "Girls, I think you should wait out here while I scout it out."/p  
p class="double" "We came this far, we ain't leavin' yah now," Applejack declared./p  
p class="double" "Yeah. Why are you trying to leave us behind?" Pinkie asked./p  
p class="double" "Because you might get hurt. We don't know if my hive is friendly to ponies or not. They could try to capture you and keep you here forever," Rainbow Dash said. "Fine, come along, but you have to promise that if things start to go bad and I tell you to run, you run."/p  
p class="double" "I'm not leaving you behind," Pinkie Pie said firmly./p  
p class="double" Applejack nodded to Rainbow Dash. "Ah promise. And Ah'll make sure she gets out safe, too."/p  
p class="double" "Good. Let's go."/p  
p class="double" "Wait," Pinkie said./p  
p class="double" "I have to go in there, even if it's dangerous. No matter what I find. If I don't, I'll spend my whole life regretting it," Rainbow Dash said./p  
p class="double" Pinkie rolled her eyes and pulled three yoke lanterns out of her saddlebags. "I meant wait until I got these. It's really dark in there."/p  
p class="double" "Oh. Good thinking." Pinkie slapped the lanterns on them and lit them. They weren't proper yokes, but fit around their necks snuggly with an oil lantern on each side. Without a unicorn they didn't have a source of magic to illuminate things. They could have held flashlights but this freed up their mouths. Rainbow Dash took a deep breath and entered the cave./p  
p class="double" The inside was just as dark as they expected. The lanterns were a blessing. They wouldn't have gotten far without the bright light they cast. Six beams of light bobbed up and down and moved about the walls as they went on. They moved slowly and deliberately in the dark interior./p  
p class="double" "Do you feel anything yet?" Pinkie Pie asked./p  
p class="double" "Huh?" Rainbow Dash mumbled. Her mind was on other things. It took her a second to realize what Pinkie was talking about. "Er, I, uh.." she turned on her pony sense. She had almost forgotten she had turned it off when they started this leg of the journey. "No. There's nopony here I can tell, though I know changelings can hide their emotions."/p  
p class="double" "So they could be anywhere in here," Applejack said./p  
p class="double" Rainbow Dash took another step and put her hoof right into something soft. "Oh, gross!" She backed up and leaned down to cast some light on it. The floor had a small pile of blue goo on it./p  
p class="double" "What the hay is this?" Applejack asked, tapping another pile near her./p  
p class="double" Rainbow Dash watched her, then stepped in some more goo. It easily gave way to her hoof. "Huh."/p  
p class="double" "It doesn't taste any good," Pinkie complained. She was busy licking a glob of it on the wall. "It doesn't really taste like anything."/p  
p class="double" "Pinkie, whah would yah just lick something yah found on the wall of a cave?" Applejack shouted, pulling Pinkie away. "It could be poisonous!"/p  
p class="double" "It's okay. It's just solid emotion. It's kind of strange, the last time I saw this stuff, it was solid, not soft like this. Still, this means we must be getting close. There are definitely changelings here," Rainbow Dash explained. She shifted into her changeling form, just to be safe./p  
p class="double" "This stuff is hard as a rock. What are yah talkin about?" Applejack asked./p  
p class="double" "See?" Rainbow Dash replied. She scooped some up and balled it up. "Really soft."/p  
p class="double" "See?" Applejack retorted, kicking some. "Really hard."/p  
p class="double" "Maybe it's because you're a changeling," Pinkie suggested./p  
p class="double" "Maybe. This just means we're getting closer." Rainbow Dash let the matter drop and continued on./p  
p class="double" Rainbow Dash rounded the first bend and there she was. A changeling queen with a blue shell and a light purple mane stood in the cave. The mane stood out because unlike the other changeling queens she had seen, this queen's mane was not a thin membrane. It was solid, albeit with some holes, but it still looked very similar to how Rainbow Dash's did./p  
p class="indented double"She didn't seem surprised to see them, in fact, she seemed to be waiting for them. "Hello, child," the queen said./p  
p class="double" "I don't believe it," Rainbow Dash said, dumbstruck./p  
p class="double" "Believe it. Welcome home. I am your Recarn, your queen," the queen said./p  
p class="double" "Hi!" Pinkie said, giggling./p  
p class="double" "Howdy," Applejack greeted./p  
p class="double" "So... you... you left that egg shell there so I could find my way here?" Rainbow Dash asked./p  
p class="double" "Yes."/p  
p class="double" "Why?"/p  
p class="double" "So if you found out what you were, you could find your way home. I do this for all my children, though you were a slightly unusual case."/p  
p class="double" "I... who am I?" Rainbow Dash asked./p  
p class="double" "That is for you to decide," Queen Recarn replied./p  
p class="double" "Yah know what she meant, don't get all philosophical," Applejack said./p  
p class="double" "We came here for answers," Pinkie added./p  
p class="double" "Fine. Maybe an explanation will clear things up," Queen Recarn began. "You are probably aware I am a changeling queen."/p  
p class="double" "We figured that out," Applejack said/p  
p class="double" "As you can see, my hive is rather empty. This does not mean it is small. Like all hives we have a unique ability. However this is more an entirely different way of living. While we have the body of a changeling, we each have the heart of a pony."/p  
p class="double" "What? I don't get it," Pinkie pie said./p  
p class="double" "Is that why I have feelings? Why I have these memories?" Rainbow Dash asked./p  
p class="double" "Yes."/p  
p class="double" Rainbow Dash rubbed her forehead. "So... if I'm not Rainbow Dash... then who am I?"/p  
p class="double" "You are Rainbow Dash," Applejack said./p  
p class="double" "You're still our friend," Pinkie said./p  
p class="double" "You really are her," Queen Recarn said calmly. "Have you examined your fangs closely?" Rainbow Dash shook her head. "Well they are unlike other changelings fangs in that they are hollow. Because of that we are able to take out everything that that pony is and make them into a changeling."/p  
p class="double" "Er... what?" Rainbow Dash asked, cocking her head to the side./p  
p class="double" "After a nymph hatches, I let it grow here until it is big enough, I then go out into the world. I seek out a foal who is sick and dying. I then give them a new chance at life as one of my changelings./p  
p class="double" "In one such time I happened across a tiny earth pony village that had just been hit by a terrible storm. I was on the outskirts when I found a poor filly that had been crushed beneath a tree limb. I used my nymph to save her, then moved her to where she could be found. I spotted a search party and joined them to make sure she was spotted. I found the filly, who had awoken, so we helped her find her way home. However her family had perished that day./p  
p class="double" "This had never happened before. I was relying on her family being able to feed her. I was going to bring her to the hive with me. I would be able to think of something then. But then one of the ponies in the search party said they knew of a place to bring the filly. I couldn't risk exposing myself so I instead told them I would stay behind to notify the townsfolk of what had happened."/p  
p class="double" Rainbow Dash sat there, wide eyed. "That... that was you?! But... then why do they think I'm dead?"/p  
p class="double" "I went back to your old body. I intended to hide it or bury it in a family grave if I could locate one. I try to be as respectful as I can in these kinds of matters. However when I returned, some of the villagers had already found the body. There was nothing I could do at that point. I could not reveal what had happened so I was forced to depart./p  
p class="double" "I did not know where the ponies had gone so I could not find you. I had intended to give you a way to find me like I do with all my children but could not. I was forced to wait until the family was laid to rest when I placed part of the nymph's eggshell there so that you could find it./p  
p class="double" "And it seems like that filly has found her way back here," Queen Recarn finished. "And she has friends even in her new body."/p  
p class="double" "So... just what am I?" Rainbow Dash asked./p  
p class="double" Queen Recarn sighed in annoyance. "You are the heart and mind of the pony Rainbow Dash in the body of one of my changeling nymphs."/p  
p class="double" "So you just... turned me into a changeling? Why didn't you save my parents?"/p  
p class="double" "I only had one nymph at the time, and it doesn't work on the already dead. There are limits."/p  
p class="double" "So what happened to the changeling in this body?"/p  
p class="double" "There was none. Our nymphs are born empty, capable of only the most basic of bodily functions. They have no soul of their own."/p  
p class="double" "Does that include you?" Applejack demanded./p  
p class="double" "Yes, just like the queen before me and the queen before her. I was once a pony but I ascended into this form. I'm not actually sure how this all started. Not that it matters any more."/p  
p class="double" "So I am Rainbow Dash. All my memories of my parents... They're real..."/p  
p class="double" "As real as my memories as a foal until I fell out of an airship and was saved by the previous queen," Queen Recarn said./p  
p class="double" "See, Rainbow, yah had nothin' tah worry about," Applejack said, putting a hoof on her friends shoulder./p  
p class="double" "This has been a huge relief," Rainbow Dash said. "Thank you for explaining it. And saving my life too, I guess."/p  
p class="double" "Are we going home together?" Pinkie asked./p  
p class="double" "Yes. I can't wait to tell Twilight the truth."/p  
p class="double" "You can't," Queen Recarn said. Rainbow Dash looked at her, confused. "You may not tell anyone what I just told you," she said authoritatively./p  
p class="double" "What, I can't tell my other friends that-" Rainbow Dash stopped. It was like the words had caught in her throat. She began gagging./p  
p class="double" "What's wrong?" Pinkie asked, rubbing Rainbow Dash's back./p  
p class="double" "I... I don't know. I was just going to say-" The words caught again. She couldn't say it. All she wanted to do say was she was a pony who had been turned into a changeling but she couldn't. No matter what she tried the words would just not pass her lips./p  
p class="double" "What did yah do tah her?!" Applejack shouted./p  
p class="double" "I am her queen. She is physically incapable of disobeying any order I give her," Queen Recarn answered./p  
p class="double" "That stinks," Rainbow Dash said./p  
p class="double" "Well we can still tell them," Pinkie said./p  
p class="double" "That was another thing. I cannot allow you to leave," Queen Recarn said. She said it so calmly but it didn't stop the three from shivering in fear./p  
p class="double" "What!" Rainbow Dash growled./p  
p class="double" "We won't tell nopony about this. We promise," Applejack said./p  
p class="double" "I can't take that chance. Take them to an empty chamber, stick them to the wall so they can't escape, and keep them there until I have suitable replacements," Queen Recarn ordered./p  
p class="double" "What?" Applejack exclaimed./p  
p class="double" "I cannot allow any to know of our existence. We have survived for thousands of years because of this," Queen Recarn explained./p  
p class="double" "But ponies will come looking for us! They know where we went and they'll come here! When they find out what you've done, they'll get you!" Applejack shouted./p  
p class="double" "They won't. I'm not going to kill you, merely make you two into my children. Then I order you to never tell about me, and everything will be fine."/p  
p class="double" "Except we'll be dead!" Applejack yelled./p  
p class="double" "You will be reborn, better and more beautiful. You will be able to fly and use magic. Don't tell me you would refuse such gifts."/p  
p class="double" "It would be cool to shapeshift," Pinkie agreed. "It seems like so much fun."/p  
p class="indented double""Ah was born an earth pony and Ah'll die one," Applejack snapped./p  
p class="double" "You don't have a choice. Take them, Rainbow Dash," Queen Recarn ordered./p  
p class="double" "But-" Rainbow Dash began. She went to turn around, but instead her body began moving towards her friends. It wasn't like she couldn't control herself, but she was unable to do anything but what she had been ordered to do. "Girls, run!"/p  
p class="double" "We're not leaving you here, Dashie!" Pinkie declared./p  
p class="double" "I have to do what she says!" Rainbow Dash shouted, straining to stop or turn. She could just see the entrance around the corner. They could easily make it outside and to the balloon. "But that doesn't mean you girls can't run! I'll be fine! Just go!"/p  
p class="double" "Stop talking and get them, drone!" Queen Recarn commanded./p  
p class="double" Rainbow Dash's mouth slammed shut. Rainbow Dash wanted to cry out, to protest, but her jaw remained firmly closed./p  
p class="double" "Stop it! Can't you see she doesn't want this?" Applejack begged./p  
p class="double" "What a drone wants is irrelevant compared to the needs of the hive. You will take them to be transformed now. Do it!"/p  
p class="double" "Nnn. Nnnnn... Nnnnn..." Rainbow Dash mumbled, unable to open her mouth. She stood there, shuddering, not wanting to move. It felt like every muscle in her body was trying to keep her moving. Her will clashed with her biology as she did everything she could to stay as far away from her friends as possible./p  
p class="double" "Now!"/p  
p class="double" "Nnnn. Nnnnn... No!" Rainbow Dash shouted./p  
p class="double" "What did you just say?" Queen Recarn looked at her, surprised. Then she snarled and glared at Rainbow Dash./p  
p class="double" "Nnnn, no! I wah- won't l-l-let you h-hur-tt muh-my f-rr-ends." It took every ounce of effort she had. Rainbow Dash slowly put one hoof down, then another, turning around to face the queen. Her queen./p  
p class="double" "You cannot, will not disobey! Grab them now!"/p  
p class="double" Rainbow Dash felt herself take a step backwards. But she forced herself to bring it back and took a step forwards instead. Her body burned with pain. Her changeling body was trying to force her to comply but she wouldn't do it. "No."/p  
p class="double" "I'll do it myself and make you watch!" Queen Recarn snarled./p  
p class="double" "No!" Rainbow Dash snarled back. Recarn had made a mistake. She's inadvertently cancelled the order Rainbow Dash had been fighting against. Without her biology holding her back, she lashed out, striking her queen with a jab to the face./p  
p class="double" "How dare you!" the queen roared. Her hoof burst into flame, becoming a sharp blade. She grabbed Rainbow Dash with her other hoof and before anypony could react, thrust her other hoof through Rainbow Dash's abdomen until it poked out her back./p  
p class="double" "Gah!" Rainbow Dash gasped. Her eyes went wide with shock./p  
p class="double" "Rainbow!"/p  
p class="double" "Dashie!"/p  
p class="indented double"Blood poured from the wound, soaking the queen's hoof blade. She threw Rainbow Dash to the ground where she lay. Her vision was blurred. Each weaker heartbeat pumped more life out of her. Her body was nothing but pain now. But she could still make out her Queen moving towards Applejack and Pinkie Pie. She had to do something./p  
p class="double" "You two will suffer for this," Recarn said, storming towards them. "Know that you brought this upon yourselves. I'm just going to kill you now. No pony will ever find your remains, I will make sure of that."/p  
p class="double" "No!" Rainbow Dash shouted. With a burst of strength, she leapt through the air and onto Recarn's back. "Girls, run! I'll hold her as long as I can, but you have to get away!"/p  
p class="double" "You welp! Get off of me!" Queen Recarn shouted./p  
p class="double" "But-" Pinkie protested./p  
p class="double" "You heard her, let's go!" Applejack yelled, dragging Pinkie by her tail./p  
p class="double" "You will not get away!" the queen shouted, charging a blast of magic./p  
p class="indented double"With the last of her strength, Rainbow Dash grabbed Recarn's head and pulled it back, causing the queen to miss and hit the roof of the cave. The ceiling cracked apart and began falling. The passage collapsed in on itself just as Applejack and Pinkie made it out. Glad they were safe, Rainbow Dash let go and fell to the ground, not caring about the rocks and dirt still falling down, nor the blood still seeping from her chest and back. They were safe. That's all that mattered./p  
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p class="double" Applejack and Pinkie panted heavily, outside the cave. The mouth had caved in, giving them ample time to flee. Pinkie broke down and started loudly crying./p  
p class="double" "Dashie! We left her in there!" she wailed./p  
p class="double" "Pinkie, there was nothing we could ah done. That was a fatal wound. We have tah get away or her sacrifice will be fer nothing," Applejack said, trying to force her friend to stand. "If we stay here, we're next!"/p  
p class="double" There was a rumbling sound and part of the rubble erupted, creating an opening in the cave. She let go of Pinkie and pulled out a rope. She tied it into a lasso and began spinning it so she was ready. A few rocks flew out of the opening, surrounded by a blue glow. Out of the hole poked a rainbow maned, black, changeling head./p  
p class="double" "Dashie?" Pinkie exclaimed. Applejack didn't stop her twirling but looked surprised./p  
p class="double" "Hey!" Rainbow Dash called back calmly, climbing out of the hole./p  
p class="double" "You survived!" Pinkie cheered./p  
p class="double" "Well I am a changeling. I just shapeshifted myself better," Rainbow Dash explained. "A falling rock must have knocked her out. We should get out of here while we can."/p  
p class="double" Applejack threw the end of the lasso and ensnared Rainbow Dash around her neck. She wrenched her off of the dirt and stone mound with the rope and slammed her into a tree, head first./p  
p class="double" "What are you doing!?" Pinkie shouted, yanking Applejack's tail hard./p  
p class="double" "Rainbow Dash don't know magic! It's the queen in disguise!" Applejack shouted, pushing Pinkie off./p  
p class="indented double"She galloped over as the changeling shifted forms, proving her right. Applejack was faster and spun around, connecting both her hind hooves with the Queen's head, knocking her senseless. She collapsed and Applejack began tying up the changeling. When she was satisfied, she stood back. "Hogtied until we can figure out what tah do with her."/p  
p class="double" "Can't she just magic herself away?" Pinkie asked./p  
p class="double" "Good point," Applejack agreed. She grabbed the Queen's horn with both of her front hooves and wrenched them to the side. The horn snapped with a loud crack and Applejack tossed it to the side. "There. That... Pinkie?"/p  
p class="double" "I'm over here," Pinkie called. She was busy trying to dig through the hole the queen had just made./p  
p class="double" Applejack galloped over and pulled her away. "Pinkie, what are yah doin'? It's dangerous!"/p  
p class="double" "I'm not leaving Dashie behind!" Pinkie growled. She bared her teeth, causing Applejack to release her. She went back to furiously digging into the rubble./p  
p class="double" It wasn't hard to get through and soon they had a narrow hole that was large enough for them to crawl through. She had lost her original lantern yoke so Pinkie grabbed another out of her saddlebags and lit it from the one lamp Applejack still had burning./p  
p class="double" "We have to find her," Pinkie declared./p  
p class="double" "We should bring home what we can," Applejack agreed glumly./p  
p class="double" Pinkie and Applejack moved slowly and cautiously through the half collapsed tunnel. They were determined to find their friend. It wasn't long before the cave opened up and the damage was behind them./p  
p class="double" "Did we miss her?" Applejack wondered out loud./p  
p class="double" "Look," Pinkie said, pointing to a trail of wet blood on the floor. They followed the liquid as it zigzagged down the tunnel before veering off into a side chamber. The outside of the chamber as well as the inside was coated in the blue goo. It covered the floor and walls to the point where they seemed to just be made of the substance. The blood stuck out even more and they followed it to find-/p  
p class="double" "No..." Applejack whimpered. She had been expecting to see this the whole time, but it still didn't cushion the blow she wanted to look away, but she couldn't. Her heart sank even lower and she felt sick./p  
p class="double" There was no hint of movement in the black body before them. The delicate membrane wings were broken and limp. No more blood oozed from the fatal wound. The once shiny skin was covered in dust and tiny wounds from debris. The rainbow colored mane was limp and lifeless./p  
p class="double" They stood in silence for what felt like hours. Each looked for some, any sign of movement./p  
p class="double" Slowly Pinkie laid down in the dirt beside their fallen friend and wailed, "Dashie!"/p  
center- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -/center  
p class="double" "Twilight, are you around?" Rarity called into the library./p  
p class="double" "Hello, Rarity," Spike greeted. "Twilight's upstairs, but you can stay down here with me if you want."/p  
p class="double" "Maybe some other time," Rarity said. She sheepishly trotted past Spike and went upstairs into Twilight's room. The door was open but she knocked anyway. "Twilight, I finished mending your sheets."/p  
p class="double" Twilight was busy reading as always but put the book down. "Thank you, Rarity. I wish I could remember how they got torn. That night is still a bit of a blur."/p  
p class="double" "Oh and I finally finished Rainbow Dash's dress," Rarity announced./p  
p class="double" "You figured it out? Congratulations!"/p  
p class="double" "Not exactly. There are two extra pieces that are held in place with manual clasps to hide the wing holes, but I hope you can enchant them to work on their own."/p  
p class="double" "I'll try."/p  
p class="double" "I can't wait to show Rainbow Dash. She'll be so surprised!" Rarity cheered./p  
p class="double" "Hello, Twilight and Rarity," Fluttershy greeted as she came in the room. "I'd hate to think I was interrupting you, do you know when Rainbow Dash is getting back?"/p  
p class="double" "She didn't say how long she would be gone," Twilight replied./p  
p class="double" "If you see her and it's not too much trouble, could you let me know when she does come home? I want to thank her again. Mr. Sugar Glider is okay thanks to her."/p  
p class="double" "I'll have Spike send you a letter as soon as I know," Twilight said./p  
p class="double" "You know who I haven't seen today? Pinkie Pie," Rarity said suddenly. "It's been very quiet without her around."/p  
p class="double" "And Apple Bloom and Big Macintosh were running the apple stand today. I wonder if Applejack is okay," Fluttershy said./p  
p class="double" "Half our party is missing!" Twilight exclaimed. Rarity and Fluttershy looked at her in confusion. Twilight turned red and kicked at the floor. "I figured I should say something random since Pinkie isn't here."/p 


	11. Chapter 11

Forever a Changeling

by Scootaloo-009, a.k.a. Mechsrule1

My Little Pony and related names, images, and scenarios are property of Hasbro Inc.

Chapter 11

Dozens of ponies were gathered in the Canterlot Castle Garden for this solemn occasion. There wasn't a single dry face at the funeral. Ponies had come together from all over Equestria to mourn the death of this particular pegasus.

Princess Luna was in attendance. While she did not know the deceased as well as some, she had made sure she was in the front on this occasion. Her sister, Princess Celestia was up on the stage beside the casket, giving a speech. She had insisted on being a speaker. While they had both outlived millions, this pony was very special.

"We are gathered here today to say farewell to a near and dear friend," Princess Celestia began. "A loyal and trustworthy pony I would call one of my good friends. Today we lay to rest Clockwork. He dutifully maintained all the public clocks in Canterlot for sixty years, following in the hoofsteps of his father..."

She hated being the bearer of bad news. She really did. She hated how it always seemed to be her job to break it. And this would be devastating news. The library was open for business so she strolled right in and looked for the pony who ran it.

"Hello, Twilight," she said.

"Hey, I didn't expect you to be here. What's up?" Twilight asked, smiling at the familiar face.

"I've got some bad news."

"Oh? Did Spike knock over another display in your shop? I've told him to be careful."

"It's not that." She sighed. "You'd better sit down for this."

Twilight noticed the weight in her voice and complied.

"Twilight, there was an incident with our supplier. Because of that we won't be getting any more ink in for three months. I know how much you go through a week, but I'm afraid we'll run out before we can get more in," she explained.

"Of all the worst possible things," Twilight began. She stood up and conjured a beanbag chair behind her. "This is the worst. Possible. Thing." she fake fainted into the beanbag chair.

"Um..."

Twilight got back up with a grin. "I've always wanted to do that. Anyway, thank you for the warning. I'll try to work through the ink supply I have here. I should have enough to last until you can get more in. I hope it wasn't a serious problem."

"No, just some prankster poured invisible ink into the machinery so they have to take it all apart and clean everything to prevent contamination. Do you really have three months worth of ink here?"

"It's more like six, but I like to be prepared," Twilight replied. "Again, thank you for letting me know. I'll try to leave some for your other customers."

"Thank you for being so understanding. I'll let you know when we get more in. Buh Bye." She left the tree house a little lighter. She seemed to have taken it well. At least she thought Twilight had taken it well until she heard shouting.

"Spike, we need to get an exact amount of our ink. Now!"

"At least I only had to tell our biggest customer," she sighed. "I can't imagine having to walk all over Ponyville telling everypony there's an ink shortage."

"Hey, girls." The voice was quiet and sounded sleepy, but it brought everypony to silence immediately.

Applejack and Pinkie looked up, shocked. They hadn't really paid attention to the mound of goo Rainbow Dash lay in front of, but now they wish they had. The upper portion had been peeled back like it was made of clay. A nearly identical changeling to the one on the floor was now pulling itself free. The only difference were a few blue bands across her abdomen.

Applejack and Pinkie Pie tackled her, squeezing her tightly. She squirmed about at first, but then returned the hug.

"We thought we lost yah," Applejack said.

"Dashie!" Pinkie cheered.

"But how did yah do it?" Applejack asked.

"Our special ability," the real Rainbow Dash replied. "While everything was falling apart, I ran in here. I was lucky there happened to be this one changeling in here. I cleared off her face and jabbed her fangs into my head. I guess it worked because here I am."

"Yah jerk, we thought yah were dead!" Applejack said, wiping her face off.

"I didn't think it would take that long to change bodies," Rainbow Dash said. "She was right. Our drones really are mindless."

"How do we know you're really you?" Pinkie asked. "She just tried to pretend to be you!"

"I caught you trying to free Discord again, so you could make him be nice, so you could have chocolate rain any time you wanted," Rainbow Dash replied.

"Hey! I did do that," Pinkie said. "It is you!"

"Of course."

"Ah'm so glad yer okay," Applejack said.

"So she tried to pretend she was me, huh? What gave it away?" Rainbow Dash asked. "I bet she couldn't pull off my awesomeness."

"No, she just used magic," Applejack replied.

"Oh."

"So what do we do with her?" Pinkie asked.

Rainbow Dash grabbed her saddlebags and the yoke lanterns from her old body and donned them. The lights had gone out but they seemed undamaged. She took one last look around the room before stepping over her old body and heading for the door. "Let me see her."

They led the way back to the entrance. Rainbow Dash had to use their lights to guide her way. They squeezed through the hole Pinkie Pie had made and into the warm midday sun.

"Colt that feels nice," Rainbow Dash said, basking in the warmth. She closed her eyes and burst into flame, returning to her pony form. "Huh. That was harder than it should have been."

"What do you mean?" Pinkie asked.

"I think I lost all my forms when I changed bodies. That's a bummer. So where's Queenie?"

"She's right over here," Applejack said. She led the way down the rubble over to where the changeling queen lay tied up.

Applejack looked Recarn up and down. The changeling queen had clearly taken the brunt of the cave in. Her body was riddled with small marks from rocks and her back shell was dented like the moon. Her wings were broken and useless. Her horn had been broken off near the base.

Rainbow Dash stood over her and focused. Her front hoof erupted into flame and turned into a blade. She raised it up over Recarn and held it there. Then she put it down and shifted it back. "I can't do it. Despite what she did, I just can't kill her. I'm not that kind of pony."

"So what do we do with her?" Pinkie asked.

"We can't leave her here. She might come after us," Applejack said.

"We'll take her to Princess Celestia. She'll know what to do," Rainbow Dash said.

Pinkie Pie and Applejack nodded and helped Rainbow Dash drag the unconscious changeling queen to the balloon. They didn't waste any effort making the trek comfortable for her. They just dragged her along over the rocks and tree roots. Applejack and Rainbow Dash heaved her into the basket and climbed in. Pinkie joined them a moment later and they began floating off.

"Pinkie, where is the anchor?" Applejack asked. She leaned over the side but couldn't spot it. She hadn't brought it with her either.

"It's back in my A-hole."

"What," Rainbow Dash and Applejack said together.

"That's what I call my portable hole, incase I get another, which will be my C-hole."

"What about... Forget it. I don't want to know," Rainbow Dash said.

Queen Recarn groaned. Instantly the three others in the balloon turned and stared at her. She opened her eyes and looked at them in confusion. She strained against her bindings but couldn't get free. "Great. I'm now your captive."

"We're taking you to Princess Celestia. She'll know what to do with you," Pinkie Pie said.

"I don't think so. Untie me," Recarn ordered.

Rainbow Dash expected something. Her body burning with pain, a will to move, something. She knew she could resist but she didn't feel anything. The command meant nothing to her body. She smirked. "Looks like that won't work any more."

"Ungrateful welp," Recarn said.

"For what, turnin' her intah a changeling? Ah'm glad yah did save her, she's mah best friend, but tah took away a lot from her too," Applejack said.

"She's also alive. And she's better than before," Pinkie replied. "I'd love to be able to fly."

"She can't have foals," Applejack said.

"I don't want to have them. The thought of actually having a foal does not appeal to me at all," Rainbow Dash said. "It would take a very special somepony to convince me to pass a melon through my crotch."

"Try an egg," Recarn snapped. "One a year. More if you live near ponies."

They ignored the queen and Applejack continued, "but yah don't even have the choice now."

"I suppose that would have been nice," Rainbow Dash agreed.

"But now you have a huge family. Who knows how many other changelings there are," Pinkie countered. "And she could adopt."

"Ah'm happy the way Ah am. Magic and flyin', they ain't fer me. If Ah had tah choose, Ah'd rather die an earth pony," Applejack said.

"But it's not your choice, it's Rainbow Dash's," Pinkie said.

The two looked at Rainbow Dash expectantly. She just had to shrug. "I don't really know how to feel. Can we say I'm glad I'm not dead and leave it at that?"

"Why are you taking their side? We're both changelings now. Yes we were ponies, but that won't make them understand," Recarn said. "Ponies hate us."

"Ponies are afraid of us because we're always in the shadows. If we actually got to know them, we could be friends," Rainbow Dash replied.

"Yeah, we're still her friend," Pinkie PIe said.

"We were only afraid she wasn't the Rainbow we knew," Applejack added.

"Wow, two whole ponies. That's clearly a majority," Recarn said, rolling her eyes.

"They accepted me even though I am a changeling," Rainbow Dash said.

"Hey, if we go back, can I be a changeling? It could be fun!" Pinkie Pie asked.

"There aren't any nymphs right now. She stole the only one left," Queen Recarn snapped.

"Then how were you going to make us changelings?" Pinkie asked.

"Nymphs grow really quickly before they have a soul. If I laid the eggs then, they'd be ready in a week. I'd need to visit a city to get the energy to actually make the eggs, but I would do what I had to," Recarn explained.

"I think ponies would notice if they were gone for a week," Rainbow Dash said.

"Well what was I supposed to do? Now we're going to be exposed. They'll hunt us down and kill our hive. It's all your fault!" Recarn shouted.

"No they won't. Princess Celestia is better than that," Rainbow Dash replied.

"What Ah don't get is how we got away so easily. Surely yah should have been tougher," Applejack said. "Chrysalis nearly beat Princess Celestia."

"I was never very good at magic. I was an earth pony before," Recarn admitted. "And being this far from civilization leaves me rather weak. I have enough food to survive but just that much."

"Is this really a good idea then? Bringing her to Canterlot?" Pinkie asked.

"Don't worry," Rainbow Dash said. "If she gets stronger, I will too. And what could she do against all the guards?"

"Traitor," Recarn grumbled.

"You're the traitor. You gave up what it means to be a pony," Rainbow Dash replied. "I don't care if we're both changelings. I'll never be like you."

"The mail, my queen," the drone said, depositing a stack of envelopes on the queen's mahogany desk.

"Thank you, drone," Queen Ovi replied. She flipped through them to see if any required her immediate attention. One caught her eye and she pulled it out. "Who do I know in Ponyville?"

Curious, she tore the envelope open and skimmed the letter. "I'm Rainbow Dash, that drone you taught how to shapeshift, blah blah blah, still don't know where I came from but I found another member of my hive. She didn't know she was a changeling either. Going to visit my hometown to see if I can find anything," Queen Ovi read. "Well good for her. Why can't you do anything interesting?!"

"I'm sorry, my queen," the drone said, bowing.

"Don't be sorry, just... nevermind," Queen Ovi sighed. "The council group is coming by later. Are you a part of that?"

"I will if you wish it."

"Are you male or female?" the queen asked. "They like female." She didn't memorize everything about her drones. It was nearly impossible to tell them apart given how identical they looked and acted.

The drone seemed confused. "I am what the client wants."

"But what do you like to be?"

Again, the drone didn't understand. "I like to please the client."

Queen Ovi sighed again. "Just go back to your room."

The drone bowed and left.

"I love my little changelings, but sometimes I just want to beat some personality into them," Queen Ovi said. "Maybe I'll send this Rainbow Dash an offer to work here. Maybe some of her individuality will rub off on them and make them actually interesting."

The balloon touched town right outside the castle door. Pinkie Pie jumped out followed by Rainbow Dash and Applejack who were carrying Recarn. Despite having her horn broken, she was still able to shapeshift into the form of an old mare. Rainbow Dash wasn't sure why she was until they started dragging her towards the castle.

"Help! Let me go! I'm just an innocent old mare! Somepony help!" Recarn began shouting.

Rainbow Dash groaned. Several guards swarmed around them quickly, surrounding them. "She's just my mom. She's gotten a bit senile is all."

"Then why is she tied up?" one guard asked.

"Er..."

"That is a very good question. I expect a good answer." The guards parted and Shining Armor joined the circle. "What is going on here?"

"She's a changeling queen. We brought her here to see what Princess Celestia wanted to do with her," Rainbow Dash explained. "Her horn is broken so she can only shapeshift. She's not a danger."

"Then why did you say she was your mother?" Shining Armor asked snidely. "Why would an Element of Harmony go about lying like that."

"It's true. She's my queen," Rainbow Dash said quietly.

"That's all I needed to hear. Guards, restrain the old mare and her," Shining Armor ordered. The guards quickly pulled Pinkie Pie and Applejack away and pinned Rainbow Dash to the ground. Recarn was fairly helpless so just two guards held her down.

"You've been accepted for what you are, huh?" Recarn taunted.

"Shut it. And get off of me!" Rainbow Dash shouted.

"What's the big idea?" Applejack demanded.

Shining Armor looked back very seriously without a hint of joy. "I have extensively researched changeling biology since... you know. I know for a fact you have to obey any order she gives you. You are nothing but a liability with her here."

"You heard wrong," Rainbow Dash growled.

"While a drone must, she is no longer a mere drone," Recarn said from the ground. "She's a queen as well."

Rainbow Dash felt the guards hold her tighter. Applejack and Pinkie Pie both gasped. Shining Armor slowly moved towards her. "Really now."

"I'm not, I'm what's called a proto queen. Unless I end up with another changeling, I'm not a real queen. I can't have nymphs or junk like that. It just means I don't have to follow her orders, not that I would."

"Rainbow, you knew yah were in the body of a queen? Whah didn't yah say so?" Applejack demanded.

Rainbow Dash looked away. "I didn't want you to get worried. I'm not her and I won't start a hive. I didn't realize what I was doing at the time but I could tell by the belly stripes."

"Sir, we really should take them to see the Princess," one of the guards said.

"Agreed. But you two keep in mind there is no pony in Canterlot better trained in changeling stopping spells than me," Shining Armor threatened. He turned and walked into the castle. The guards got off of Rainbow Dash but four stayed around her. One in front, one behind, and two on the sides. The ones on the sides held spears over her back so she couldn't fly away. Applejack and Pinkie Pie followed quickly.

Canterlot Castle was never meant to be a stronghold so the path to the throne room was fairly straightforward and short. Within a minute Rainbow Dash was standing before Princess Celestia, still heavily guarded. Queen Recarn seemed to have given up and was hanging limply from the hooves of the guards trying to hold her up. She still hadn't dropped her disguise though

"What is the meaning of this? Shining, I warned you about acting out towards peaceful changelings," Princess Celestia snapped. "Release Rainbow Dash. Now."

The guards obeyed but Shining Armor replaced them, holding his spear in front of Rainbow Dash. "With all due respect, Princess, it is my duty to protect you and I will do that."

"Shining Armor if somepony wanted to hurt me who actually could, you would not be able to stop them. Your duty is to protect the citizens, not me. Now what is going on here?"

"We have two changeling queens here, Princess," Shining Armor replied. He pulled his spear away but stayed next to Rainbow Dash.

"Two? You must be mistaken. I know Rainbow Dash is not a queen."

"Things have changed," Rainbow Dash said. "I finally learned everything. Where I came from, what happened. What she did to me."

"I saved your life and the lives of countless others," Recarn shouted.

"This is really Queen Recarn, my queen. I learned that my hive as a very unique ability. While I may be a changeling, I wasn't always. My heart and soul are that of a pony. I am Rainbow Dash the pony, in the body of a changeling. She goes around finding sick foals and turns them into changelings."

"That sounds crazy," Shining Armor exclaimed. "That means there could be changelings all over the place."

"Changelings that are ponies at heart. They don't know," Applejack said.

"You might remember me, Princess. I was 'The Miracle Colt'. I fell thousands of feet out of a balloon and survived unharmed," Recarn said. "Only I really didn't."

Princess Celestia looked at her in surprise. "That was three hundred years ago. You couldn't be the same pony."

"But I am."

"Miracle colt? Yah used tah be a boy?" Applejack asked.

"Believe me, this was really awkward at first, but the previous queen was killed and someone had to take over. I was the only one who could, so I did. I've gotten used to it over the centuries."

"Rainbow Dash, are you a queen as well?" Princess Celestia asked.

"When I met her, she tried to kill my friends. I stopped her but she stabbed me through the chest. Before I died, however, I found the body of another changeling from my hive and put my soul into it. Nymphs in our hive don't have a mind of their own, so it's not like I did anything to the other drone."

"That describes most changelings," Shining Armor interrupted.

"But they can still think. Our drones can't do anything but breathe. I didn't realize it at the time but I had accidently put myself into the body of a proto queen. I'm not a real queen because I haven't... gotten with another changeling," Rainbow Dash continued.

"I am glad you three are unharmed. It is fortunate you were able to survive," Princess Celestia said. "We've seen how powerful queen changelings can be."

"I think she had this body there as a backup, in case she got hurt. With enough spare bodies, she could live forever," Rainbow Dash finished.

Princess Celestia seemed genuinely surprised. "I hadn't even thought of that aspect."

"So? The queen before me did it. And the queen before that. What's wrong with wanting to live forever?" Recarn asked.

"It is not the gift you think it is," Princess Celestia said. "And if you think that is an excuse for your actions, you are very mistaken."

"Are you going to kill her?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Rainbow Dash, I didn't know you cared," Recarn said sarcastically.

"Do you think I should?" Princess Celestia asked.

"Yes? No? I don't know. Yeah she saved me, but she also tried to kill us."

"I vote yes. It's one less threat," Shining Armor said.

"Enough," Princess Celestia snapped. "Queen Recarn, you have a noble intention. Despite your transgression, I would still say you are a good pony. But I cannot allow this activity to continue. Ponies are not meant to live forever. I'd rather not have you executed. I'm not sure what to do with you. Shining Armor, put her in the dungeon for now. I will ask some other changeling queens for advice."

Shining Armor nodded. Two guards helped him drag Recarn from the throne room.

"Tomorrow I will send some guards to the hive to deal with any remaining changelings," Princess Celestia said. "I am sorry, Rainbow Dash, but I must do this. I hope you understand."

Rainbow Dash shook her head. "I do understand, but there's no need. There weren't any others there. This was the only changeling, besides her, there. There are the others who don't know, but I don't know where they are."

"I think we can leave them alone. They have done nothing wrong," Princess Celestia said. "Is there anything else?"

"I think I need some time to think," Rainbow Dash said. "Sort things out in my head."

"We'll see you back in Ponyville," Applejack said.

"I will be sure to contact you when I know if my idea will work," Princess Celestia said.

Rainbow Dash nodded and flew out of the castle.

"Hey girls, I had Spike call you all here because Princess Celestia sent me a letter," Rainbow Dash explained. It was the following morning. Her friends had all gathered in the library as she had asked.

"Are you going to tell us what you found out?" Rarity asked.

"Right. I will, but first, Princess Celestia told me that Queen Recarn is going to be executed in about two hours."

"I'm sorry?" Fluttershy said.

"I'm kind of glad. She tried to kill us after all. Apparently Princess Celestia wanted to figure out a way to stop her from laying eggs permanently, but it couldn't be done, so that's it for her," Rainbow Dash replied.

"I think we're missing something," Twilight said.

"Well Applejack and I went to find out my home town," Rainbow Dash began.

"I thought you went alone," Fluttershy said.

"Ah figured she could use the company." Applejack said.

"Anyway it turned out to be Dust Bowl, Pinkie's hometown," Rainbow Dash said.

"We could have been best friends growing up!" Pinkie exclaimed.

"If I hadn't gone to Cloudsdale and done the sonic rainboom," Rainbow Dash continued. "Anyway, I visited my parents grave but I found out it had my name on it too."

"Why would a grave have more than one name on it?" Rarity asked.

"If a bunch of ponies from the same family die at the same time, they're typically put on the same tombstone," Pinkie explained.

"Can I tell my story?" Rainbow Dash snapped. The girls sheepishly nodded and closed their mouths. "Okay, so there I found a bit of eggshell. My eggshell. When I touched it, it gave me a vision that showed me how to get to a cave nearby.

"There we found Queen Recarn. My queen. She explained that the night my parents died, I thought I had passed out, but I had really been crushed by a tree. I would have died but she put me in the body of a changeling."

"I'm sorry to interupt, but what?" Twilight asked.

"It's pretty confusing but yeah. Like she put a nymph on my head and I became the nymph."

"So what happened to the nymph?" Fluttershy asked.

"Nothing. My hive doesn't have any mind of their own. Every member is a pony put in the body of a changeling," Rainbow Dash replied. "When we tried to leave, she tried to stop us. She was afraid ponies would find out about the hive so she was going to turn Applejack and Pinkie Pie into changelings too."

"She said changelings can't disobey, but Rainbow proved her wrong!" Applejack said.

"But Rainbow Dash stopped her and she killed Rainbow Dash," Pinkie added.

"Killed?" Rarity asked.

"Nearly. Luckily there was a full grown nymph in the hive. She must have been planning on switching bodies soon. I did the same thing she had done to me before and put myself in this new, not-dying body. In the end, I'm still alive and she won't be," Rainbow Dash finished.

"If she was going to switch bodies, wouldn't that make you a queen now?" Twilight asked.

"Sort of. I'm not a real queen unless I get with another changeling, which I don't plan on doing."

"So what are you going to do now?" Twilight asked.

"I'm going to become a wonderbolt!" Rainbow Dash declared.

"So that's it? Nothing changes?" Fluttershy asked.

Rainbow Dash shrugged. "I learned everything I wanted to. Recarn was wrong. She said we weren't ponies any more, we were changelings, but we're not. We're still ponies where it matters. In our heart. And if I ever get this mushy again, hit me."

"That's our Rainbow," Applejack said, rolling her eyes.

Rarity held up a hoof. "Can we go back a minute. You said something about your parents' grave?"

"I'd rather not... wait, I think you're the only one who doesn't know I was orphaned at a year old," Rainbow Dash said. "Well I was. Now that everything is taken care of, I hope things can go back to normal. Well normal for Ponyville."

"What isn't normal about here?" Pinkie asked.

"So you're really okay?" Twilight asked.

"Twilight, the only thing I was ever worried about was that I had taken the place of the pony my parents loved. Now that I know the truth, I'm fine. Really," Rainbow Dash said.

"And yah know we love yah too," Applejack added.

Suddenly the door to the library burst open. In the doorway stood a white rabbit stamping it's foot in irritation.

"Sorry, girls, I forgot it's time for Angel's lunch," Fluttershy said. She flew out the door and scooped up Angel as she flew.

"I'd better go too. We gotta get set up fer the harvest," Applejack said.

"And I have so many orders," Rarity said, leaving as well. "Oh, and stop by later, I made some modifications to your Gala dress and I want to see if they work right."

"And I should go unpack. Bye!" Pinkie said.

The three left, leaving Twilight and Rainbow Dash alone.

"Hey, doesn't this mean what your hive really is dead?" Twilight asked.

"Well when I die, it will be. I already thought it was dead so it's not like anything changed."

"I'm glad everything worked out in the end," Twilight said.

"Me too," Rainbow Dash agreed. "Hey,do you know a lot of legal stuff?"

"I've read a couple books on it. I could act as my own lawyer if I had to," Twilight replied. "What do you need?"

"It turns out I'm legally dead. It hasn't caused any problems so far, but it's something I should fix before it does."

"I know just what book we need. To the library!" Twilight declared.

"We're at the library," Rainbow Dash said, getting confused.

"By Celestia's beard, that was fast!"

"Twilight, are you alright?"

"I think this town is starting to get to me," Twilight said, rubbing her head.

"As a changeling would say, welcome to the hive."

 **Author's note This story is not over yet the original author of this story include a few bonus chapters. and a squeal to this story is in his/her tumblr account.**


	12. Chapter 12

Forever a Changeling

by Scootaloo-009, a.k.a. Mechsrule1

My Little Pony and related names, images, and scenarios are property of Hasbro Inc.

Epilogue

Rainbow Dash winged her way through the skies above semi-familiar terrain. She's only flown this way once before but she was still able to locate the right mountain. It was harder to fly with the cloak she was wearing, but she would need it when she got back to Ponyville, to hide what she was going to get.

Slowly she crept inside the dark cave. She still had the lantern yoke but there was little oil left in it, so the light it gave of was faint and she really had to strain to see at all. She briefly thought about trying to make her own light but she still wasn't very good at any magic.

Finally she made her way to the incubation chamber. She carefully stepped over the limp form inside the doorway. It hadn't been long enough for her old body to decompose so it was very creepy to see herself dead.

Rainbow Dash walked around the room until she came to what she had noticed when she had been her last. Lying on the floor were some blue egg fragments, and lying in the center was a foal sized nymph. It hadn't moved since it had freed itself. It had been just an egg when she had last been there.

She gently picked the nymph up and carried it over to where her current body had been. She used the goo from the cocoon to plaster the nymph to her stomach. Satisfied, she left the cave and returned to her real self. Then she quickly flew off for home.

*KNOCK* *KNOCK*

A wiry old mare answered the door with a sour look and glared at Rainbow Dash.

"Uh... can Scootaloo come out?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Great, what has that brat done now!" the mare shouted. "Scootaloo, get out here!"

"She hasn't done anything, I just want to talk to her is all," Rainbow Dash said, but the old mare seemed unconvinced.

"Rainbow Dash!" Scootaloo exclaimed when she saw who was at the door. She galloped out and right up to her. "Why are you here?" she asked excitedly.

"Just following up on a promise. Walk with me," she urged. "I'll have her back in a few minutes," she said to the caretaker.

"Whatever."

Scootaloo cheerfully followed Rainbow Dash as she led the filly out of town and into the outskirts of the forest.

"Where are we going?" she asked.

"Just somewhere where we won't be seen," Rainbow Dash replied. "This should be good enough."

"And what's with the robe? Are you adopting me? Is this some sort of cool pony ritual?"

Rainbow Dash held up a hoof to silence her. "Do you remember what the last thing you asked me was when you found out I was a changeling?"

Scootaloo scratched her head while she thought. "Not really."

"You asked if there was a way you could become a changeling, and I said if I found a way, I would let you know."

"You did!" Scootaloo exclaimed, her eyes going wide.

"Sort of," Rainbow Dash said. She removed her cloak and pulled the nymph free of her stomach. She placed it on the ground in front of Scootaloo.

"What's that?"

"This is a changeling baby. But it could be you."

"I'm confused."

"Yeah I know. From what I learned, my hive has survived by basically turning ponies into changelings. You don't actually become one but rather your soul is put into a different body."

"I still don't get it," Scootaloo said.

Rainbow Dash nodded knowingly. "A long time ago I died. This queen changeling happened to be in the area and saw it happen. She stuck a nymph like this one on my head and I became that nymph."

"I don't think I'm going to get it."

"If I let this changeling do its thing, you will become a changeling like me."

"Really!" Scootaloo exclaimed. "Do it, do it do it!"

"Hold it," Rainbow Dash shouted. She had to hold the filly down to stop her from bouncing with excitement. "This isn't a light decision. You can never, ever take this back. If you do this, you will be forever a changeling. You will always need to be around ponies for food. You will never be able to have foals."

Scootaloo looked back very seriously. "If I ever wanted foals, I would adopt. I decided that a long time ago. Will I still get a cutie mark? If not, I can wait, if that's okay..."

"I still got mine after becoming a changeling."

"Then I think I'm okay with this."

"You will also have to die."

Scootaloo balked at that, clutching her neck.

"In a way, I mean. You'll come back to life as a changeling. As... well... my sister."

"Does... does it hurt?" Scootaloo asked.

"It's just like falling asleep. Then you wake up."

"Okay. I want to do this," Scootaloo said.

"Are you really sure?" Rainbow Dash asked, picking up the nymph.

"Yes. I... I don't want to be starving all the time. I want to be happy. I want a life and I'll never get that at the orphanage."

"You know this won't change the last thing there," Rainbow Dash said. "You'll have to stay there for now."

"For now." Scootaloo turned around and sat down, holding her head up for Rainbow Dash.

"Okay," Rainbow Dash said. She opened the nymph's mouth and lowered it onto Scootaloo's head. She hadn't seen the process from this perspective before and she was a little disappointed. She was expecting something, but it didn't look like anything was happening.

Suddenly Scootaloo slumped to the ground. Rainbow Dash felt her chest but didn't feel a heartbeat anymore. She removed the nymph and placed it away from Scootaloo's body. She watched in fascination as the changeling erupted into flames. When the blue faded, she saw two identical fillies.

She watched for several minutes but neither filly moved. Slowly Scootaloo opened her eyes and she looked around. The first thing she noticed was her hooves were still orange. "Hey, it didn't work!" she exclaimed.

"Yes it did," Rainbow Dash said. She pointed over to the limp body.

"Woah! If that's me then... It worked, didn't it!"

"Yes."

Scootaloo looked away from her corpse. "That is really creepy. What do we do with me? It? Me?"

"I was going to bury it deep in the woods so nopony would find it, unless you have a preference."

"That's okay." Scootaloo scrunched up her face and grunted a few times. Each time she made a different strained expression. Finally she gave up and looked at Rainbow Dash. "Okay, how do I transform?"

Rainbow Dash smiled. "It's easy to learn. First you have to visualize what you want to look like. I've found it's easiest to be looking right at them. That way you don't make mistakes. Then you focus on that image. The final step is the real trick. You have to reach inside yourself. There you find... well I'd call it a kind of energy you didn't have before. I think it's changeling magic. Anyway, once you can feel out that energy, you will change forms. I've also found that once I've done a form, I can go back to it easily."

Scootaloo nodded. She stared straight ahead and stood still for several minutes. Several times Rainbow Dash saw sparks of blue ignite around the filly but they didn't cause a notable change.

"You've almost got it. Come on, just a little more," she urged.

That did it. Scootaloo erupted into flames and Rainbow Dash was now faced with a filly version of herself.

"Hey, what gives!? Scootaloo complained. "Why am I still the same size?"

"It's one of the limits. You also can't do anything that isn't a pony."

"This is so cool!" Scootaloo said. She quickly shifted back into her normal body, then into the filly Rainbow Dash, then back again. "Thank you so much," she said, hugging Rainbow Dash tightly.

"I did make a promise," Rainbow Dash replied. "There's a lot more to this but I'll explain it some other time. You should probably be getting back soon before she gets mad."

"I've got to show Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle first!" Scootaloo began galloping off.

"Stop!" Rainbow Dash ordered.

Immediately Scootaloo's legs locked and she fell flat on her face. "What just happened?" she wondered out loud.

"Sorry," Rainbow Dash said, helping her up. "Since I'm older you have to listen to me. Changeling biology. I didn't mean for that to happen, though, I'm sorry."

"Oh," Scootaloo said, frowning. "So I can't tell my friends?"

"You can tell whoever you want that you're a changeling," Rainbow Dash said. "But you can never tell how you became one."

"Why not? I bet tons of ponies would want this!"

"Well they are out of luck. I told Princess Celestia that there were no other nymphs in the hive or queens to make more," Rainbow Dash explained. "There are others that think they're ponies but I'm going to leave them alone. The hive is effectively dead."

"But then how did you do this?" Scootaloo asked.

"I may have... omitted the final egg the queen laid. I did make a promise to you and I wasn't going to pull a cheap move like 'oh I found a way but then made it impossible'."

"So what do I say?"

"Tell them..." Rainbow Dash said, thinking hard. "I know. Tell them I simply figured out you were a changeling by chance. Our hive is made of ponies turned into changelings when they were near death, so just say you had an experience like that but pulled through somehow. That will take care of things."

"But I can tell them I'm a changeling?" Scootaloo asked.

"Sure, but remember that a lot of ponies don't like us. I would not tell a lot of ponies."

"Okay. Hey, Rainbow Dash?"

"Yeah, Scoots?"

"Thanks for keeping your promise. You didn't have to do all that. You lied to Princess Celestia for me..."

"I did have to. We orphans have to stick together, no matter what."

"Yeah..."

"And you were only technically wrong when you asked if I was here to adopt you." Scootaloo's eyes went wide. "It turns out I'm legally dead. But once that's sorted out..."

"Really?"

"Really. So practice your flying. I don't want to have to cart you to my house and back three times a day."

"I will," Scootaloo agreed. "Bye!" She began scampering off again. "And thanks. This is so cool!"

Rainbow Dash dropped her disguise for a moment then changed back. "Yeah. I guess this is pretty cool."

The End


	13. Chapter 13

centerForever a Changeling/centercenterby a href=" " rel="nofollow"Scootaloo-009/a, a.k.a. Mechsrule1/centercenterMy Little Pony and related names, images, and scenarios are property of Hasbro Inc./centercenterEpilogue/center  
p class="double" "Rainbow Dash, how are you?" Twilight asked, seeing her friend come into the library./p  
p class="double" "Good, good," Rainbow Dash replied idly. "I'm just stopping by to tell you I had to move."/p  
p class="double" "Really? To where?"/p  
p class="double" "Just the ground. I'm living in a tree by the forest right now."/p  
p class="double" "How come? You loved living in the sky."/p  
p class="double" "Yeah but this body produces too much changeling goo, you know. My house got too heavy with the stuff so I'm grounded."/p  
p class="double" "I wonder why it's such a difference. You never had an issue before."/p  
p class="double" "Well, this body is a queen body," Rainbow Dash reminded her./p  
p class="double" "Does it really make that much of a difference?"/p  
p class="double" "It just means I absorb more emotions than I can digest so I have to puke up the rest as goo or I'll get fat. Trust me, I tried not puking but I gave up after just a day when I couldn't fit through my door."/p  
p class="double" "I'm sorry. I could teach you a water summoning spell so you could dissolve it. Or... you could use rain water."/p  
p class="double" "I... I kind of feel comfortable this way. It's weird."/p  
p class="double" "Well if you like it," Twilight said, returning to her work of reshelving books./p  
p class="double" "I do need to work on a way to waterproof it somehow so it doesn't just melt away when it rains."/p  
p class="double" "You could try adding a canopy. Or tie down some clouds."/p  
p class="double" "That's a good idea. You should stop by some time. See you."/p  
p class="double" Rainbow Dash left the library and headed back home across town. She could have flown but felt like walking today. She couldn't wait for her friends to visit. She had some great things to share with them/p  
p class="indented double". emI'm surprised that they believed what I said, and even more surprised that Recarn didn't said something. Maybe she wanted this to happen. Recarn wouldn't have risked her back up body just trying to become a full queen again. She took care of that way ahead of time./em/p  
p class="indented double"emIt's a shame she had to die, but it's for the hive. What one member wants is irrelevant to the hive as a whole, even the queen. This way they think we're done. Now the hive can grow without royal involvement. By the time anypony catches on, we'll be too numerous to stop./em/p  
p class="indented double"As she neared the edge of town she took a shortcut through an alley behind Sugarcube corner. Suddenly she heard a shuffling noise coming from the dumpster. Perplexed, she went over to it and opened the lid. The orange figure inside jumped in shock./p  
p class="double" "Scoots?" Rainbow Dash asked./p  
p class="double" "I- I-" Scootaloo tried diving behind a trash bag to avoid being seen but it didn't work./p  
p class="double" "Hey, it's okay," Rainbow Dash said sweetly. "I did my fair share too."/p  
p class="double" "They always have good stuff here," Scootaloo said sheepishly. "I found a whole chocolate cake last night."/p  
p class="double" "But get out of there," Rainbow Dash said sternly. Scootaloo quickly hopped out and began walking off. "You can come with me to my house for lunch."/p  
p class="double" Scootaloo's face lit up. "Really?"/p  
p class="double" "Sure. I've moved recently so you can come by anytime now. Come on."/p  
p class="double" Scootaloo smiled broadly and quickly followed Rainbow Dash as she left town and made her way to her home./p  
p class="double" It was situated on the edge of the Everfree Forest. Scootaloo thought it was a blue tree but as they got closer, she saw it was just covered in blue goop. The house was much larger than the tree could hide so it stuck out everywhere, nearly enveloping some nearby trees as well./p  
p class="double" "I've done some... redecorating," Rainbow Dash said as they got closer. "It's still a work in progress though."/p  
p class="double" "Ooo," Scootaloo said. She was nervous being so close to the Everfree forest, but felt safer knowing Rainbow Dash was nearby./p  
p class="double" There was an opening in the base of the tree, made quite smooth by the goo. Scootaloo trotted inside to find the interior was much the same as the cloud home had been. The blue goop looked like melted sugar but wasn't nearly as sticky. There were some strange lumps and webs of the stuff too, but Scootaloo was just too excited to care./p  
p class="double" "Have a seat and I'll go get us something," Rainbow Dash said, stretching a wing towards the cloud couch. Scootaloo bounded over and leaped onto it. She sat there, smiling broadly, gazing at everything with wonder./p  
p class="double" "Your house is so cool!"/p  
p class="double" "Fit for a changeling," Rainbow Dash said, dropping her disguise. "Wait right there, I'll be right back."/p  
p class="double" Rainbow Dash went into the kitchen but ignored the cupboards and shelves. Instead she went to the far wall. She thrust her hooves into the wall and peeled the goo apart like it was a curtain until there was a gap big enough for her to walk through. Only a changeling from her hive would be able to do that. She had to keep this secret for now./p  
p class="double" Rainbow Dash entered the small chamber. It would become bigger in time. The floor had three blue ovals on it. Eggs. She smiled when she saw them. It made her happier to feel the next one forming inside her already. Being so close to so many emotional ponies really sped up the process./p  
p class="indented double". She trotted over to one of the two cocoons on the wall. Only one was currently occupied. She opened it with her hooves and a small nymph fell out and onto the floor. It's blank white eyes stared vacantly. The only hint it was alive at all came from the subtle breathing./p  
p class="double" "Come on," Rainbow Dash cooed, picking it up gently. "You were supposed to be for one of my friends when you got bigger but... I think Scoots needs this more." She exited the chamber and put the nymph on the floor. She then carefully closed the opening back up and smoothed the wall so nopony would be able to distinguish it from the wall around it. She couldn't afford to let anypony know about it. Not yet, anyway./p  
p class="double" It wasn't evil, what she was doing. If anything she was saving the poor filly from a life of starvation and ridicule. This life would be better than any she would have had. Recarn's mistake had been sticking to dying foals. It made more sense to convert as many as possible. If it was normal, nopony would fight against it./p  
p class="indented double"And she had made a promise to Scootaloo./p  
p class="double" Rainbow Dash returned to the living room to find Scootaloo had left the couch. She was sitting on the floor, petting Tank. However she was facing away from the kitchen, so it was okay. She wouldn't see it coming. Fighting it would only be a waste of time for both of them. Scootaloo wouldn't be able to outrun her, but it would be unpleasant nonetheless./p  
p class="double" "Tank is so cool," Scootaloo said, hearing Rainbow Dash return, but she didn't turn around. "I wish we could have pets at the orphanage. I guess it's for the best. They don't have enough money to feed us, how could they feed any pets?"/p  
p class="double" "Don't worry Scoots," Rainbow Dash said, standing over the filly, holding the nymph with one hoof. "You won't have to be hungry any more. I promise."/p  
center- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -/center  
p class="double" "What do you think?" Rainbow Dash asked, putting down her brick of excitement to show she was listening./p  
p class="double" "You want my opinion? You're the Queen, you can do what you want," Scootaloo replied, looking up from the hunk of joy she had been nibbling on./p  
p class="double" "I value your opinion on this, since it does affect you the most. And my hive is going to be different."/p  
p class="double" "Well... Sweetie Belle would be the better choice to convert first. Apple Bloom would be really upset if she couldn't get her cutie mark."/p  
p class="double" "I still got mine," Rainbow Dash said./p  
p class="double" Scootaloo looked surprised. "Oh. Huh. In that case, Apple Bloom should be first."/p  
p class="double" "I'd have thought her earth pony pride would be an issue."/p  
p class="double" "She doesn't have as much as Applejack," Scootaloo replied. "I've caught her staring at my wings a few times, and she was the only one of us who wanted to try hang gliding more than once. I'm pretty sure she wishes she was a pegasus."/p  
p class="double" "Apple Bloom it is then. It will take a couple days, I don't have any more nymphs, just some eggs."/p  
p class="double" "You can teach me to fly and use magic in the meantime!"/p  
p class="double" Rainbow Dash shook her head. "That would be a bad idea. You might use it accidentally and expose us."/p  
p class="double" "Okay... How come you want to convert my friends? Shouldn't you do yours first?"/p  
p class="double" "I figure they'll need to be older to warm up to the idea," Rainbow Dash answered. "I was originally going to wait until somepony came around when your body was the right size for them, but then I saw you. I decided you would make a much better hive member."/p  
p class="double" Scootaloo smiled broadly./p  
p class="double" "Woah! It's getting late. You should get back to the orphanage before anypony gets suspicious."/p  
p class="double" "Aww... I really have to go back?" Scootaloo whined./p  
p class="double" "For a little while. I'll work on getting things formalized so you can live here all the time, but we can't do it right away."/p  
p class="double" "Okay..."/p  
p class="double" "Hey, before you leave, don't forget to disguise yourself."/p  
p class="double" "Oops. I almost forgot." Scootaloo scrunched up her face in concentration. "Visualize, focus, then-" Scootaloo burst into blue flames. In a flash, her black body was replaced with its normal orange coated, purple maned form. "How do I look?"/p  
p class="double" "Perfect. Now run along."/p  
p class="double" "Bye, Queen Dash," Scootaloo said, galloping out the door./p  
p class="double" "Queen Dash..." Rainbow Dash repeated, half chuckling. "I like it."/p  
centerThe End/center 


	14. Chapter 14

centerForever a Changeling/centercenterby a href=" " rel="nofollow"Scootaloo-009/a, a.k.a. Mechsrule1/centercenterMy Little Pony and related names, images, and scenarios are property of Hasbro Inc./center  
p class="double"There is a continuation of this ending story line that can be found a href=" " rel="nofollow"here/a./p  
centerBonus Chapter (Pony ending)/center  
p class="double" "Sister, it is time to switch control," Princess Luna said as she strolled into the throne room. Princess Celestia got up and Princess Luna took her place on the throne. The sun was setting through the window behind it, casting long shadows./p  
p class="double" "It was a busy day," Princess Celestia said idly./p  
p class="double" "I heard there was an execution this morning. First one in... two hundred years?"/p  
p class="double" "At least. It couldn't be avoided. It was a changeling queen with the ability to turn ponies into changelings," Princess Celestia explained./p  
p class="double" "That's interesting but what did she do to warrant such an extreme punishment?" Princess Luna asked while stifling a yawn./p  
p class="double" "I wanted to stop her from laying eggs but it just couldn't be done. I had no other choice," Princess Celestia said solemnly./p  
p class="double" "Why did you have to do that?"/p  
p class="double" "Imagine what a mess it would be if anypony could just start over in a new, changeling body."/p  
p class="double" "I know a lot of terminally ill foals would jump at the chance," Princess Luna said./p  
p class="double" "Yes but it would be a nightmare trying to manage any number of ponies who can instantly shapeshift into anypony else. How could you ever control that? If just one turned into a criminal it would be a disaster. There are enough changelings out there now," Princess Celestia said. "In the end I had to pick the solution that would cause the least amount of problems."/p  
p class="double" "I don't think many would see it that way, but I agree. Good night, sister," Princess Luna said./p  
p class="double" "Good night."/p  
center- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -/center  
p class="double" "Why do you think Scootaloo called a crusader emergency?" Sweetie Belle asked./p  
p class="double" "Ah'm not sure. It must be something important," Apple Bloom replied. Scootaloo had woken them up in the middle of the night, telling them they needed to get to the clubhouse right away. Apple Bloom had always suggested they create a system of reaching each other easily but Scootaloo had always been against the idea. Probably because she didn't want them to know where she lived./p  
p class="double" As they approached, they noticed that Scootaloo had easily beaten them there. The lights were on in the club house. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle walked inside but didn't see Scootaloo anywhere. Suddenly a pony jumped down from the loft./p  
p class="double" "Hey, Cuz," the brown earth pony said./p  
p class="double" "Babs!" Sweetie Belle said in surprise./p  
p class="double" Apple Bloom took one look and snorted. "Just who the hay are you?"/p  
p class="double" Babs looked hurt. "Don't ya recognize me? I wasn't gone that long."/p  
p class="double" "Really, who are you? You're not Babs," Apple Bloom said. "Babs isn't that brown, she's stockier, and most of all, she doesn't sound like Scootaloo trying to do a Manehatten accent."/p  
p class="double" "Darn. I thought I did a good job," Babs said./p  
p class="double" Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle leaped back as Babs erupted into blue flames. They were gone almost immediately, leaving Scootaloo standing where Babs had been./p  
p class="double" "This isn't an exact science," Scootaloo said./p  
p class="double" "What just happened?" Sweetie Belle asked./p  
p class="double" Apple Bloom leapt into action, tackling Scootaloo. She throttled her while shouting, "What did you do with Scootaloo?!"/p  
p class="double" Scootaloo kicked her off and got back up. "I am Scootaloo."/p  
p class="double" "If you're Scootaloo then do our secret hoofshake," Apple Bloom demanded./p  
p class="double" Scootaloo rolled her eyes. "We don't have one, remember? We couldn't make one we could remember so we gave up."/p  
p class="double" "That's right," Apple Bloom agreed./p  
p class="double" "What's going on?" Sweetie Belle asked, looking back and forth between Apple Bloom and Scootaloo./p  
p class="double" "Girls, I just found out that I'm not just a pony," Scootaloo began. She burst into flames again, eliciting a yelp from Sweetie Belle, and shifted into her changeling form. "I'm a changeling too!"/p  
p class="double" "Ah don't buy it. How could yah not know?" Apple Bloom asked./p  
p class="double" "Apparently my hive is made up of changelings who think they're ponies. I don't really know everything yet," Scootaloo explained./p  
p class="double" "So when did you find out?" Sweetie Belle asked./p  
p class="double" "I just bumped into Rainbow Dash earlier. Suddenly she was all like, 'I think you're a changeling'. We discovered I was so she taught me how to shapeshift. There's a lot more to it but I wanted to show you right away."/p  
p class="double" "And she could just tell?" Apple Bloom asked./p  
p class="double" "Yeah. I'm not sure how. I'll have to ask her. I guess we can just tell," Scootaloo said./p  
p class="double" "Ha! So we were right! She is a changeling!" Apple Bloom declared./p  
p class="double" "But she's also a pony like me. At least we were ponies."/p  
p class="double" "Huh?" Sweetie Belle said./p  
p class="double" "That's what she said but I'm not sure what she meant. Like I said, I just found out."/p  
p class="double" "I bet that's how you ended up abandoned! Your mom must have been a changeling that wanted you to grow up a pony," Sweetie Belle suggested./p  
p class="double" Scootaloo shrugged. She knew she was wrong but she couldn't correct her. "Makes sense."/p  
p class="double" "Ah think Ah just have one last question," Apple Bloom said. "What about the crusaders?"/p  
p class="double" "Well Rainbow Dash still got her cutie mark even though she's a changeling," Scootaloo said. "Actually..."/p  
p class="indented double"She focused on an earlier form, her first one. It came to her almost immediately. She shifted, causing Sweetie Belle to gasp again. She gazed at her flank but it was plain blue. She focused again and tried to envision Rainbow Dash's cutie mark. She shifted but nothing changed. Her flank was still blank./p  
p class="indented double""So I guess I can't just shapeshift a cutie mark," Scootaloo said./p  
p class="indented double""Cool! Do me, do me!" Sweetie Belle urged./p  
p class="indented double""Fine," Scootaloo agreed. She stared at Sweetie Belle to make sure she would get it right., then-/p  
p class="indented double""Wow!" Sweetie Belle said. She stared at her duplicate./p  
p class="indented double""How come yah got her and not Babs?" Apple Bloom asked./p  
p class="indented double""Because I'm looking at Sweetie Belle," Scootaloo said. She turned to Apple Bloom and shifted into the earth filly's doppelganger. "And now you. It's harder to do this by memory."/p  
p class="indented double""And you just learned how to do this?" Apple Bloom asked, surprised at how easily Scootaloo seemed to be shapeshifting./p  
p class="indented double""It's getting the look right that's hard," Scootaloo told her./p  
p class="indented double""So... um... what do we do now?" Sweetie Belle asked./p  
p class="indented double""Let's go crusading!" Scootaloo declared./p  
p class="indented double""It's the middle of the night," Apple Bloom pointed out./p  
p class="indented double""Right..." Scootaloo said./p  
p class="indented double""Colt the other foals at school are going to freak out when they see you," Sweetie Belle said./p  
p class="indented double""We probably shouldn't tell them," Scootaloo said nervously. "Not a lot of ponies like changelings..."/p  
p class="indented double""Okay, we'll keep it secret," Apple Bloom said./p  
p class="indented double""Who can we talk to?" Sweetie Belle asked./p  
p class="indented double"Scootaloo rubbed her chin. "Just Rainbow Dash for now. She's the only one who knows except you two."/p  
p class="indented double"Apple Bloom yawned loudly. "Ah don't know bout you two, but Ah'm bout ready tah fall asleep right now. Ah'll see yah in the mornin'."/p  
p class="indented double"Sweetie Belle joined her in walking out. "Me too. See you tomorrow?"/p  
p class="indented double""I'm just going to turn off the lights," Scootaloo called back. "Night girls. Cutie mark crusaders:"/p  
p class="indented double""Friends forever!"/p 


	15. Chapter 15

Forever a Changeling

by Scootaloo-009, a.k.a. Mechsrule1

My Little Pony and related names, images, and scenarios are property of Hasbro Inc.

Epilogue (Bad)

"Thank you again for inviting us to dinner," Rarity said.

They were all seated around a table in Shining Armor and Cadence's house. The evening had originally been planned as just a three pony meal with Twilight coming over, but Cadence had insisted they invite the whole gang. Spike had been left behind once again to babysit.

Cadence began passing around the various dishes. When any reached Rainbow Dash, she simply passed it along.

"Rainbow Dash, aren't you hungry?" Cadence asked.

"Just being here is enough," Rainbow Dash replied with a smile.

"I'm afraid I don't understand," Cadence said.

"She's a 'good' changeling," Shining Armor told her.

"Well, yeah. It's not like I can't eat pony food, but I don't. If I do, it makes me a bit sick to suddenly eat again," Rainbow Dash explained.

"I wouldn't want you to feel bad," Cadence said.

"I'm glad you're not biased like someponies," Rainbow Dash said.

"Of course not. I wouldn't assume all changelings are like Chrysalis."

"I still don't know," Shining Armor said.

"Shining, why would say that? We know her. No matter what she is, we still know Rainbow Dash. Who she is hasn't changed," Cadence chastised.

Shining Armor sighed. "I guess you're right. Rainbow Dash, I'm sorry. I just can't get passed what happened with Chrysalis. She was brainwashing me. I nearly married her! I just can't forget that."

"Shining Armor, I understand, but I'm not her," Rainbow Dash said.

"Plus, being a changeling has all sorts of advantages," Twilight added. "We require less sleep, and we don't have to take breaks to eat."

"That would be use-" Shining Armor stopped. "Did you say we?"

Six ponies burst into blue flame and were replaced with six changelings sporting their manes. Rainbow Dash, he noticed, was considerably taller than the rest and sported a tiny little crown, not unlike Queen Chrysalis had. Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy had similar crowns but they were the same size as the others.

"It's awesome!" Pinkie Pie cheered.

"Ah didn't like it at first, but then Ah realized just cause Ah have wings and a horn don't mean Ah have tah use them," Applejack said.

"And I save so much time not having to manually style my mane," Rarity said.

"I can tell just how my animal friends are feeling," Fluttershy added. "And use that to help them."

"I've nearly doubled my study time," Twilight said.

"Why don't you join us," Rainbow Dash said.

Shining Armor stood up. "You said there weren't any more. That you couldn't lay eggs!"

"Queen Recarn wouldn't have had a spare body that wasn't already fertilized. She isn't stupid," Queen Dash said. "And I'm friends with two other queens. I could just ask for a drone if I had to."

Shining Armor snarled. He pulled Cadence back and backed away slowly. "I don't know what she's done to you all, but this isn't you."

"BBBFF, it's wonderful. You should join us," Twilight said.

"Cadence, run. I'll hold them off so you can escape," Shining Armor said.

There was a burst of blue on his side and he looked over in horror. The beautiful pink coat of his wife had become black.

"Shiny, it's wonderful. Join us. For me?" changeling Cadence begged.

Shining Armor jumped away, backing into a corner. "This doesn't make any sense!"

"Come on. She said she'd make you a brute if you joined willingly," Cadence said.

"Wait, you're all queens!" Shining Armor realized.

Cadence frowned. "I'm not. Shining, we're married and I'm not going to mate with anypony but you. Even if that means I'll never be a queen."

"But... queens don't have to obey!"

"We're doin' this cause we wanna," Applejack said.

"And only Twilight and Applejack aren't full queens!" Pinkie Pie said.

"I'm too busy studying to lay," Twilight said.

"Ah got too much tah do at the farm," Applejack said.

"So, what, you're going to take over the world or something?" Shining Armor demanded. "What are you going to do if there are no ponies left."

Queen Dash smiled. "We're each other's food. Since we have the heart of a pony, we produce our own emotions. And I'm not going to take over anything. I'm helping ponykind transcend into a higher form of life. Not everypony can go. We need some because we cannot increase our numbers without them.

"Shining, you are joining but I'm giving you a choice to do it willingly. I want to make you a brute but if I can't trust you, you'll have to be a drone until you show me I can trust you. You'd be so much stronger than you are now, and you would be able to fly," Queen Dash said.

"Plus we can do all sorts of things together," Cadence said seductively.

"Wait... you don't mean..." Shining Armor said slowly.

Cadence winked. "We can both shapeshift. If you join, I'll do that thing you love. All the time."

Shining Armor's eyes went wide. A stupid grin began to form at stretched across his face. He gazed passed them all and seemed lost in thought. "Okay. I'm in."

Years later

Princess Celestia was rereading one of Twilight's old friendship reports. They still came from time to time, but less frequently than she liked. She was in her throne room, but there wasn't much official business today so she was mostly just passing the time. She loved reading about Twilight and her friends having adventures.

Suddenly her quiet reading was interrupted when a Queen changeling sporting a rainbow colored mane walked into the throne room. Princess Celestia put down the letter and looked at the new arrival.

"Rainbow Dash? Is that you?"

"Yes, it is, Princess," Queen Dash replied.

"Umm... what are you doing here?" Princess Celestia asked nervously.

"I'm here to hopefully encourage you to peacefully abdicate the throne to me."

"What are you saying? Rainbow Dash, you said you weren't a queen."

"I lied," Rainbow Dash sneered. "Now will you step down peacefully, or will I have to fight for the throne?"

"What has gotten into you? Guards!"

The guards dropped their spears. They burst into blue flames and were replaced with changeling versions of themselves.

"I already took care of that. Almost all of Ponyville and a good part of Canterlot is now mine," Queen Dash said. She slowly advanced towards the throne.

"I will not allow this. Twilight and her friends-"

"Agree with her," Twilight finished. Princess Celestia watched in horror as the five remaining element bearers walked into the throne room and shapeshifted into queen changelings. Behind them was a proto queen that had to be Cadence and a massive drone the size of a diamond dog that must have been Shining Armor.

"What has happened to my little ponies?" Princess Celestia exclaimed.

"We have found a better way of life. Now I can't make you a queen like my friends right away, but if you work hard and prove your loyalty to the hive, maybe one day you'll be promoted to queen," Queen Dash said.

"But a hive shouldn't have more than one queen!"

"Typically they do fight, but we are able to work together. This way we can lay eggs six times faster," Fluttershy said.

"And while it does take away from my study time, with the lower sleep requirements, I still have more time to do things," Twilight said.

"This can't be happening!" Princess Celestia shouted.

"Sister? What is all this commotion?" Princess Luna asked as she walked into the throne room, rubbing her eyes.

"Luna, something has gone wrong we-" Princess Celestia stopped. Her face wilted and she slumped onto the floor. Her sister burst into blue flames. Her alicornian body was replaced with a changeling drone. Her mane was still transparent but it no longer moved in a non existent wind.

"What do you say, Princess? Will you join my hive?" Queen Dash asked.

"Sister, this is for the best," Luna said. "It is wonderful being this way."

"It's great once yah get used tah it," Applejack said.

"This is the new look," Rarity said.

"Now we can be sisters!" Twilight cheered.

"I love everything about this!" Pinkie Pie declared.

"You'll be a part of one big family," Fluttershy said.

"If I can do this, you can to," Shining Armor said.

"It doesn't make sense for a pony princess to rule over a changeling queen anyway," Queen Dash said.

"And what of my ponies? Are you going to turn them all into your drones?" Celestia asked.

"Of course not. If I turned every pony into changelings than the population would never grow. No, I'll leave enough. And you'll be every bit as powerful after you join my hive."

Princess Celestia stood up to her full height. "I am Princess Celestia. I don't know why you all have forsaken what you are, but I will not. I am an alicorn. I will not give that up."

"Okay," Queen Dash said honestly. "I was just offering. You don't have to and I won't force you. I won't even imprison you as long as you stand down and don't cause trouble."

Princess Celestia looked at her in confusion.

"It's a coup but we want to be peaceful about it," Twilight said.

"What is your answer?" Queen Dash asked.

"You can't do this. Without me there will be no more day. And the other hives will never allow you to rule," Princess Celestia said.

"Twilight and Luna are more than capable of doing the job," Queen Dash said. "We did have some trouble with other changeling hives, but after learning just what we were, they now support me. We're a food source too and they won't have to hide anymore."

Princess Celestia looked around. More changeling guards were entering the room now. A few servants joined in. There were a few still ponies who looked confused and were beginning to panic at the sight. They were all doomed to the same fate unless Celestia could do something. Anything. But with Luna there, she knew she could not overpower them without the Elements of Harmony and they were currently around the necks of her enemies.

Finally, she sighed heavily and looked at Rainbow Dash. "If I leave and take my ponies with me, will you let us leave?"

"Only the ponies in the castle, and only if they want to go," Queen Dash replied. "And you leave my land for good."

Princess Celestia gritted her teeth. There would be a time she could reclaim Canterlot but she couldn't risk so much now. "Fine. We will go. Just know I want to rip that necklace off of your neck. This is anything but loyalty."

Queen Dash pressed a holey hoof to the necklace and smiled. "But I am loyal. To my hive, to my friends, to all of ponykind. Even to you. I'm letting you live as you wish. If I was a traitor I wouldn't do that.

"Now leave my palace. I have five more thrones to add for my friends and a lot of rooms to redecorate."

Princess Celestia walked over to the door. The numerous drones parted for her. Most of the ponies in the crowd galloped over, a look of blind fear on their faces. "Come, my little ponies. It is clear we cannot stay here." She used her magic to open the door for them.

"One more thing," Queen Dash said. "Leave the crown."

Princess Celestia reached up and slowly pulled the crown off her head. She turned it over in her hooves and gazed at it. For thousands of years she had worn it. She knew she hadn't always made the best choice, but she sincerely hoped she had always done the right thing.

She remembered all the wondrous things she had seen while wearing it. All the wonderful ponies she had met. For the first time since her fight with Nightmare Moon, she wept openly. Tears streamed from her eyes and what she was giving up. But most of all, it hurt. It hurt because of who was doing this.

Suddenly she felt a hoof on her leg. She looked over and saw the changeling Twilight looking at her.

"Please don't go. I want you to stay, Princess."

Celestia yanked her leg away. "I don't know what you are, but you are no longer my student. You'll never be able to rule them. This crown is just a golden trinket. Anypony can wear it, but very few can make ponies see it."

Princess Celestia dropped the crown on the floor. She stepped over it and led the dozen ponies left out of the throne room. She didn't look back once as she marched out of the city, taking everypony left with her.

Queen Dash walked over slowly and picked up the crown. Then she tossed it onto the throne. "I think our elements are good enough." Then she walked over to Twilight. Her friend was weeping quietly by the door. Queen Dash noticed she had taken her pony form, and she did so too.

It was odd now. She couldn't shift back to her old self, she was too big. And she didn't hide her horn anymore, just like how Twilight didn't hide her wings. She sat down next to Twilight and put a leg around her and drew her close.

"I know it's hard," Rainbow Dash said. She didn't need her emotion sense to read Twilight's emotions."

"She... she said..." Twilight mumbled between sobs.

"Twilight, she's the one who's wrong. Not everypony will see this the way we do. Not everypony will be able to understand. I hope she comes around, but if she doesn't, that's on her, not you."

"You... you know I had a crush on her," Twilight said.

"I know, but if she can't see the beauty in what you've become, then she's not good enough for you. Come on, you've got a huge family that loves you for what you are inside. Let's go inside. We have a lot of work to do."

Twilight wiped her face but didn't look any happier. "Okay. Just promise you're really going to let her go."

Rainbow Dash looked right into Twilight Sparkle's eyes. "I promise. If she joins the hive it will be because she chose to. I won't force her."

Queen Twilight thought for a minute and frowned. "Can I?"

Queen Dash smiled and clapped Twilight's shoulder. "Now that's more like it. If you're going to, I'd do it quickly. You might not be able to catch her."

"I'm coming Celestia!" Twilight shouted at nopony. She galloped off into the streets, leaving the rest of the queens behind.

"I hope she succeeds. She deserves at least a chance," Rarity said.

"Ah think they would make a good couple, assumin' Celestia come's round," Applejack agreed.

"Maybe we were a bit too forceful," Fluttershy said.

"That's Celestia's problem, not ours," Rainbow Dash said. "And now we're in her shoes."

"And we deserve a party! No pony got hurt and we rule!" Pinkie cheered. "Changelings forever!'


	16. Chapter 16

**Here is the link to the squeal.**


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